RURAL  TEXT-BOOK 
SERIES 


THE 

BREEDS  OF 
LIVE-STOCK 


GAY 


L.  H.  BAILEY 
EDITOR 


TRural  UeitXJBoofe  Series 

EDITED  BY  L.  H.  BAILEY 


THE   BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


PLATE  I.  —  Breed  Types  of  Horses. 


PERCHERON  STALLION. 


BELGIAN  MARES. 


THE   BREEDS   OF 
LIVE-STOCK 

BY 

LIVE-STOCK  BREEDEES 


REVISED    AND    ARRANGED   BY 

CARL   W.    GAY 

PROFESSOR   OF    ANIMAL   INDUSTRY    IN   THE 
UNIVERSITY    OF    PENNSYLVANIA 


gotk 
THE   MACMILLAtf   COMPANY 

1920 

All  rights  reserved 


Elje  mural  Eext^Booft  Series 

EDITED  BY  L.  H.  BAILEY 

B.  M.  Duggar,  PLANT  PHYSIOLOGY,  with 
special  reference  to  Plant  Production. 

J.  F.  Duggar,  SOUTHERN  FIELD  CROPS. 

Gay,  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK. 

Gay,  THE  PRINCIPLES  AND  PRACTICE  OF 
JUDGING  LIVE-STOCK. 

Goff,  PRINCIPLES  OF  PLANT  CULTURE,  Revised. 

Harper,  ANIMAL  HUSBANDRY  FOR  SCHOOLS. 

Harris  and  Stewart,  PRINCIPLES  OF  AGRONOMY. 

Hitchcock,  A  TEXT-BOOK  OF  GRASSES. 

Livingston,  FIELD  CROP  PRODUCTION. 

Lyon,  Pippin  and  Buckman,  SOILS,  THEIR 
PROPERTIES  AND  MANAGEMENT. 

Mann,  BEGINNINGS  IN  AGRICULTURE. 

Montgomery,  THE  CORN  CROPS. 

Piper,  FORAGE  PLANTS  AND  THEIR  CULTURE. 

Warren,  ELEMENTS  OF  AGRICULTURE. 

Warren,  FARM  MANAGEMENT. 

Wheeler,  MANURES  AND  FERTILIZERS. 

White,  PRINCIPLES  OF  FLORICULTURE. 

Widtsoe,  PRINCIPLES  OF  IRRIGATION  PRAC- 
TICE. 


COPYRIGHT,   1916, 

BY  THE  MACMILLAN  COMPANY. 


Set  up  and  electrotyped.     Published  March,  1916. 


Nortoooft 

J.  8.  Gushing  Co.  —  Berwick  &  Smith  Co. 
Norwood,  Mass.,  U.S.A. 


PREFACE 

THE  original  material  of  which  this  book  is  composed 
was  prepared  for  the  Cyclopedia  of  American  Agricul- 
ture, Volume  III,  by  men  who  have  been  more  or  less 
eminently  identified  with  the  respective  breeds  of  which 
they  write.  Since  successful  breeders  are  essentially 
specialists  in  their  particular  breeds,  the  most  authori- 
tative presentation  of  the  historic  facts,  points  of  merit 
and  economic  importance  of  these  breeds  should  be 
expected  from  those  breeders  who  have  devoted  them- 
selves most  exclusively  to  them. 

This  subject-matter  has  been  revised,  rearranged,  am- 
plified and  brought  up  to  date  with  the  view  of  making 
a  book  that  shall  serve  as  a  hand-book  for  the  breeder 
and  a  text-book  for  the  student.  The  revision  has  been 
made  by  Dr.  Carl  W.  Gay,  Professor  of  Animal  In- 
dustry in  the  University  of  Pennsylvania,  a  teacher 
and  investigator  of  wide  experience  and  an  author  of 
high  standing.  The  revisions  of  the  different  parts 
have  been  approved  by  the  original  authors,  so  far  as 
living;  and  the  book  therefore  has  double  authority, 
the  advantage  of  statements  made  by  persons  who  are 
identified  with  the  different  breeds,  and  a  comparable 
treatment  throughout.  Only  the  descriptive  parts  of 
the  original  articles  have  been  utilized  in  making  this 


yi  PREFACE 

book;  for  the  completer  accounts  and  for  the  score- 
cards,  the  reader  is  referred  to  the  Cyclopedia,  which 
was  published  in  1908.  Score-cards  of  the  breeds  will 
also  be  found  in  Gay's  "  Principles  and  Practice  of 
Judging  Live-Stock,"  Rural  Text-Book  Series. 

L.  H.  BAILEY. 
ITHACA,  N.  Y., 

January  1,  1916. 


.  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 

PAGES 

INTRODUCTION  —  THE  STUDY  OF  THE  BREEDS       .         .        .  1-3 

PART   I 
THE   BEEEDS   OF   HOESES 

CHAPTER   I 
THE  DRAFT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  ......          7-43 

Percheron  Horse :  History  in  France,  2  ;  History  in 
America,  3 ;  Description  of  Percherons,  4 ;  Uses  of 
Percherons,  6 ;  Distribution,  6 ;  Organizations  and  rec- 
ords, 7.  French  Draft  Horses:  Boulonnais,  9  ;  Arden- 
nais,  10;  Breton,  11  ;  Nivernais,  12.  Belgian  Horse: 
History  in  Belgium,  14 ;  History  in  America,  15  ;  De- 
scription, 16  ;  Uses  of  the  Belgian  horse,  17  ;  Distribu- 
tion, 18;  Organizations  and  records,  19.  Clydesdale 
Horse :  Origin,  21 ;  History  of  breeding,  22  ;  Purpose 
in  the  breeding,  23 ;  History  in  America,  24  ;  Descrip- 
tion, 25;  Uses  of  Clydesdales,  26;  Distribution,  27; 
Organizations  and  records,  28.  Shire  Horse :  History 
in  Great  Britain,  30  ;  History  in  America,  31 ;  Descrip- 
tion, 32  ;  Uses  of  Shires,  33 ;  Distribution,  34 ;  Organi- 
zations and  records,  35.  Suffolk  Horse:  History  in 
Great  Britain,  37  ;  History  in  America,  38 ;  Descrip- 
tion, 39  ;  Uses  of  the  Suffolk,  40 ;  Distribution,  41 ; 
Organizations  and  records,  42. 

CHAPTER   II 
THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES    ....        44-78 

Hackney  Horse :  Origin,  44  ;  Breeding  saddle  horses, 
45 ;  Breeding  for  driving,  46 ;  History  in  America,  47  ; 


viii  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


Description,  48  ;  The  action,  49 ;  Color  of  the  Hackney, 
60 ;  Soundness  of  the  Hackney,  51 ;  Uses  of  the  Hack- 
ney, 52  ;  Distribution,  53 ;  Organizations  and  records, 
64.  French  Coach  Horse  :  History  in  France,  56  ;  His- 
tory in  America,  57  ;  Types  of  French  Coach  horses, 
68  ;  Coach  type,  59 ;  The  trotting  type,  60 ;  Speed  rec- 
ords and  races,  61;  Uses  of  the  French  Coach  horse,  62 ; 
Distribution,  63;  Organizations  and  records,  64.  Ger- 
man Coach  Horse :  History  in  Germany,  66  ;  History 
in  America,  67  ;  Description,  68  ;  Types  and  families, 
69 ;  The  East  Prussian  or  Trakehner  horse,  70 ;  The 
Hanoverian  horses,  71  ;  The  Holstein  horses,  72 ;  Olden- 
burg horses,  73  ;  East  Friesland  horses,  74  ;  Schleswig 
horses,  75  ;  Uses  of  German  Coach  horses,  76  ;  Distri- 
bution, 77  ;  Organizations  and  records,  78.  Cleveland 
Bay  and  Yorkshire  Coach  Horse:  History  in  Great 
Britain,  80  ;  History  in  America,  81 ;  Description,  82  ; 
Uses  of  the  Cleveland  Bay  horse,  83 ;  Distribution,  84 ; 
Organizations  and  records,  86. 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEI^S  OF  HORSES     ....       79-107 

American  Standardbred  Horse :  Origin,  87 ;  In- 
fluence of  Messenger,  88  ;  Other  important  contribu- 
tors, 89 ;  Influence  of  American  horses,  90  ;  Early  trot- 
ting records,  91 ;  The  trotting  register,  92  ;  Influence  of 
the  standard,  93;  Families,  94;  The  Hambletonian 
family,  95 ;  The  Mambrino  Chief  family,  96 ;  The  Clay 
family,  97  ;  The  Morgan  family,  98;  The  Pilot  family, 
99 ;  Other  families,  100 ;  Description,  101 ;  Uses  for 
racing,  102;  Use  as  a  roadster,  103;  Use  as  heavy- 
harness  horse,  104;  Use  for  breeding  "cow  ponies," 
105 ;  Distribution,  106  ;  Organizations  and  records,  107. 
The  Pacing  Horse:  History  in  Europe,  109;  History 
in  America,  110;  Present  position  of  the  pacer,  111; 
The  pacing  standard,  112;  Families,  113;  Descrip- 
tion, 114 ;  Uses  of  the  pacer,  115 ;  Distribution,  116  ; 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


IX 


Organizations  and  records,  117.  Orloff  Horse  :  History 
in  Russia,  119;  History  in  America,  120;  Description, 
121 ;  Uses,  122  ;  Organizations  and  records,  123. 


CHAPTER  IV 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  or  HORSES 


108-156 


Thoroughbred  Horse  :  History  in  Great  Britain,  125 ; 
Important  sires,  126  ;  Purpose  for  which  bred,  127  ; 
History  in  America,  128 ;  Description,  129 ;  Technical 
description,  130  ;  Use  for  sporting  purposes,  131  ;  Use 
for  crossing,  132 ;  Part-bred  horses,  133 ;  Distribution, 
134  ;  Organizations  and  records,  135.  American  /Saddle 
Horse :  History,  137  ;  Notable  sires  and  dams,  138 ; 
Description,  139  ;  The  saddle  horse  in  motion,  140  ;  The 
flat-footed  walk,  141 ;  The  trot,  142 ;  The  canter,  143 ; 
The  slow  gait,  144 ;  The  rack,  145 ;  Use  as  a  cavalry 
horse,  146;  Use  as  a  commercial  horse,  147;  Use  as  a 
gaited  horse,  148  ;  Use  as  a  harness  horse,  149 ;  Use  as 
a  hunter,  150;  Breeding,  151;  Feeding,  152;  Distribu- 
tion, 153  ;  Organizations  and  records,  154.  Arab  Horse  : 
Early  history,  156;  History  in  America,  157;  Descrip- 
tion, 158  ;  Types  and  families,  159  ;  The  Keheilan  A  jus, 
160 ;  The  Seglawi  family,  161 ;  Hamdani,  162  ;  Abeyan, 
163 ;  Hadban,  164  ;  Other  families,  165 ;  Use  for  riding 
and  driving,  166 ;  Use  for  crossing,  167  ;  Feeding  and 
care,  168;  Distribution,  169  ;  Organizations  and  records, 
170.  Barb  and  Turk  Horses :  History  in  Egypt,  172 ; 
History  in  America,  173 ;  Description,  174  ;  Use  of  the 
Barb,  175  ;  Importance  of  the  Barb,  176  ;  Organizations 
and  records,  177  ;  The  Turk  horse,  178.  Hunter  Horse : 
History,  180 ;  Description,  181 ;  Classes,  182 ;  Uses, 
183;  Steeple-chasers,  184;  Distribution,  185;  Organiza- 
tions and  records,  186. 

CHAPTER  V 
THE  PONY  BREEDS  OF  HORSES 157-180 

American  Ponies :  Use  and  value  of  the  pony,  188 ; 
The  polo  pony,  189;  The  Mustang,  190;  The  Bronco, 


viii  TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


Description,  48  ;  The  action,  49 ;  Color  of  the  Hackney, 
50 ;  Soundness  of  the  Hackney,  51  ;  Uses  of  the  Hack- 
ney, 52  ;  Distribution,  53 ;  Organizations  and  records, 
64.  French  Coach  Horse  :  History  in  France,  56  ;  His- 
tory in  America,  57  ;  Types  of  French  Coach  horses, 
58  ;  Coach  type,  59 ;  The  trotting  type,  60 ;  Speed  rec- 
ords and  races,  61 ;  Uses  of  the  French  Coach  horse,  62 ; 
Distribution,  63;  Organizations  and  records,  64.  Ger- 
man Coach  Horse :  History  in  Germany,  66  ;  History 
in  America,  67  ;  Description,  68  ;  Types  and  families, 
69 ;  The  East  Prussian  or  Trakehner  horse,  70 ;  The 
Hanoverian  horses,  71  ;  The  Holstein  horses,  72 ;  Olden- 
burg horses,  73 ;  East  Friesland  horses,  74  ;  Schleswig 
horses,  75  ;  Uses  of  German  Coach  horses,  76 ;  Distri- 
bution, 77  ;  Organizations  and  records,  78.  Cleveland 
Bay  and  Yorkshire  Coach  Horse:  History  in  Great 
Britain,  80  ;  History  in  America,  81 ;  Description,  82  ; 
Uses  of  the  Cleveland  Bay  horse,  83 ;  Distribution,  84 ; 
Organizations  and  records,  85. 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES     ....       79-107 

American  Standardbred  Horse :  Origin,  87 ;  In- 
fluence of  Messenger,  88  ;  Other  important  contribu- 
tors, 89 ;  Influence  of  American  horses,  90  ;  Early  trot- 
ting records,  91 ;  The  trotting  register,  92  ;  Influence  of 
the  standard,  93 ;  Families,  94 ;  The  Hambletonian 
family,  95 ;  The  Mambrino  Chief  family,  96 ;  The  Clay 
family,  97  ;  The  Morgan  family,  98;  The  Pilot  family, 
99 ;  Other  families,  100 ;  Description,  101 ;  Uses  for 
racing,  102 ;  Use  as  a  roadster,  103 ;  Use  as  heavy- 
harness  horse,  104;  Use  for  breeding  "cow  ponies," 
105 ;  Distribution,  106  ;  Organizations  and  records,  107. 
The  Pacing  Horse:  History  in  Europe,  109;  History 
in  America,  110;  Present  position  of  the  pacer,  111; 
The  pacing  standard,  112;  Families,  113;  Descrip- 
tion, 114;  Uses  of  the  pacer,  115;  Distribution,  116; 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


IX 


Organizations  and  records,  117.  Orloff  Horse:  History 
in  Russia,  119;  History  in  America,  120;  Description, 
121 ;  Uses,  122  ;  Organizations  and  records,  123. 


CHAPTER  IV 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HORSES 


108-156 


Thoroughbred  Horse :  History  in  Great  Britain,  125 ; 
Important  sires,  126  ;  Purpose  for  which  bred,  127 ; 
History  in  America,  128  ;  Description,  129 ;  Technical 
description,  130  ;  Use  for  sporting  purposes,  131 ;  Use 
for  crossing,  132 ;  Part-bred  horses,  133 ;  Distribution, 
134  ;  Organizations  and  records,  135.  American  Saddle 
Horse :  History,  137  ;  Notable  sires  and  dams,  138 ; 
Description,  139  ;  The  saddle  horse  in  motion,  140  ;  The 
flat-footed  walk,  141 ;  The  trot,  142 ;  The  canter,  143 ; 
The  slow  gait,  144 ;  The  rack,  145 ;  Use  as  a  cavalry 
horse,  146 ;  Use  as  a  commercial  horse,  147 ;  Use  as  a 
gaited  horse,  148  ;  Use  as  a  harness  horse,  149 ;  Use  as 
a  hunter,  150;  Breeding,  151;  Feeding,  152;  Distribu- 
tion, 153  ;  Organizations  and  records,  154.  Arab  Horse : 
Early  history,  156;  History  in  America,  157;  Descrip- 
tion, 158  ;  Types  and  families,  159  ;  The  Keheilan  A  jus, 
160 ;  The  Seglawi  family,  161 ;  Hamdani,  162  ;  Abeyan, 
163 ;  Hadban,  164  ;  Other  families,  165 ;  Use  for  riding 
and  driving,  166 ;  Use  for  crossing,  167  ;  Feeding  and 
care,  168 ;  Distribution,  169  ;  Organizations  and  records, 
170.  Barb  and  Turk  Horses :  History  in  Egypt,  172 ; 
History  in  America,  173 ;  Description,  174  ;  Use  of  the 
Barb,  175 ;  Importance  of  the  Barb,  176  ;  Organizations 
and  records,  177  ;  The  Turk  horse,  178.  Hunter  Horse : 
History,  180;  Description,  181;  Classes,  182;  Uses, 
183;  Steeple-chasers,  184;  Distribution,  185;  Organiza- 
tions and  records,  186. 

CHAPTER  V 
THE  PONY  BREEDS  OF  HORSES 157-180 

American  Ponies :  Use  and  value  of  the  pony,  188 ; 
The  polo  pony,  189 ;  The  Mustang,  190  ;  The  Bronco, 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


191 ;  The  Indian  pony,  192  j  Uses  of  Broncos  and  Indian 
ponies,  193 ;  Other  American  ponies,  194.  Ponies  of 
the  British  Isles :  The  Shetland  pony,  196  ;  History  of 
the  Shetland  pony,  197  ;  Description  of  the  Shetland 
pony,  198;  Uses  of  Shetland  ponies,  199;  Feeding  and 
care  of  Shetland  ponies,  200  ;  Organizations  and  records, 
201 ;  The  Welsh  pony,  202  ;  Exmoor  and  Dartmoor 
ponies,  203  ;  The  New  Forest  pony,  204  ;  The  Hackney 
pony,  205;  The  ponies  of  Scotland,  206;  The  Conne- 
mara,  or  pony  of  Ireland,  207.  Other  Ponies:  The 
Celtic,  or  pony  of  Iceland,  208 ;  The  Arabian  pony, 
209 ;  The  Kussian  pony,  210 ;  The  Scandinavian  or 
Norwegian  pony,  211 ;  Miscellaneous  ponies,  212. 

CHAPTER  VI 

MULES  AND  JACKS 181-189 

History,  213 ;  Description,  214 ;  Form,  215 ;  Market 
class  of  mules,  216 ;  Use  of  the  mule,  217  ;  Feeding, 
218;  Distribution,  219;  Mule  production,  220;  The 
Poitou  jack,  221 ;  Importance  of  mules,  222 ;  The  type 
of  jack  to  use,  223 ;  The  kind  of  mare  to  breed  from, 
224  ;  Color,  225 ;  Organizations  and  records,  226. 

CHAPTER   VII 

THE  MILITARY  HORSE 190-198 

Horses,  general  description,  227  ;  Horses,  special  de- 
scriptions, 228;  Mules,  229;  Horses  required  by  the 
British  War  Office,  230. 

PART  II 
THE  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE 

CHAPTER   VIII 
THE  BEEF  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE 201-254 

Shorthorn  Cattle :  Origin  in  England,  232 ;  Breeding 
by  Colling  Brothers,  233  ;  Other  English  breeders,  234  ; 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS  XI 


Thomas  Bates  of  Kirklevington,  235 ;  Breeding  by  the 
Booths,  236  ;  History  in  the  United  States,  237  ;  Organi- 
zation, 238;  History  since  1840,  239;  History  in  Can- 
ada, 240 ;  Important  events  in  Shorthorn  history  since 
1860,  241 ;  Popularity  of  Scotch  Shorthorns,  242  ;  De- 
scription, 243 ;  Uses  for  milk,  244 ;  Use  for  butter  and 
cheese,  245  ;  Use  for  beef,  246 ;  Use  for  crossing  and 
grading,  247  ;  Distribution,  248  ;  Organizations  and  rec- 
ords, 249.  Polled  Durham  Cattle :  Breeders  of  note, 
251 ;  Description,  252  ;  Standards,  253  ;  Distribution, 
254  ;  Organizations  and  records,  255.  Hereford  Cattle : 
History  in  England,  257  ;  History  in  America,  258  ; 
Merits  of  Herefords,  259 ;  Description,  260  ;  Uses,  261 ; 
Feeding,  262 ;  Distribution,  263 ;  Organizations  and 
records,  264;  Double-Standard  Polled  Herefords,  265. 
Aberdeen-Angus  Cattle:  Origin,  267;  History  in  Scot- 
land, 268;  History  in  America,  269;  Description,  270; 
Uses  of  Aberdeen-Angus  cattle,  271  ;  Distribution,  272 ; 
Organizations  and  records,  273.  Galloway  Cattle :  His- 
tory in  Scotland,  275  ;  History  in  America,  276 ;  De- 
scription, 277  ;  Use  for  milk,  278  ;  Use  for  beef,  279 ; 
Use  for  hides,  280 ;  Use  for  grazing,  281 ;  Use  for 
crossing,  282 ;  Distribution,  283 ;  Organizations  and 
records,  284.  Sussex  Cattle  :  History  in  England,  286  ; 
History  in  America,  287  ;  Description,  288 ;  Uses  of 
Sussex  cattle,  289;  Feeding  and  care,  290;  Distribu- 
tion, 291 ;  Organizations  and  records,  292. 


CHAPTER  IX 
THE  DAIRY  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE    .        .         .        .  -      .        .     255-312 

Jersey  Cattle :  The  use  of  the  term  Alderney,  294 ; 
Early  history,  295  ;  History  since  1850,  296  ;  History 
in  America,  297  ;  Description,  298 ;  Use  for  milk  and 
butter,  299;  Other  uses  of  the  Jerseys,  300;  Feeding 
and  care,  301 ;  Distribution,  302  ;  Organizations  and 
records,  303.  Guernsey  Cattle :  History  in  Guernsey, 
305 ;  History  in  America,  306 ;  Description,  307  ;  Use 
for  milk,  cream  and  butter,  308 ;  Other  uses  of  Guern- 


Xll 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


seys,  309 ;  Distribution,  310  ;  Organizations  and  records, 
311.  Holstein-Friesian  Cattle :  History  in  Europe,  313 ; 
History  in  America,  314  ;  Description,  315 ;  Use  for 
milk,  316 ;  Use  for  butter,  317 ;  Other  uses  of  Holstein- 
Friesian  cattle,  318 ;  Feeding  and  care,  319 ;  Distribu- 
tion, 320  ;  Organizations  and  records,  321.  Ayrshire 
Cattle :  History  in  Scotland,  323  ;  History  in  America, 
324 ;  Description,  325  ;  Types  of  Ayrshire  cattle,  326 ; 
Uses  for  milk  and  butter,  327  ;  Other  uses  of  Ayrshires, 
328  ;  Distribution,  329  ;  Organizations  and  records,  330. 
Brown  Swiss  Cattle:  History,  332;  Description,  333; 
Uses  of  Brown  Swiss  cattle,  334 ;  Feeding  and  care, 
335  ;  Distribution,  336  ;  Organizations  and  records,  337. 
Dutch  Belted  Cattle :  History  in  Holland,  339 ;  History 
in  America,  340 ;  Description,  341 ;  Uses  of  Dutch 
Belted  cattle,  342 ;  Feeding,  343  ;  Distribution,  344 ; 
Organizations  and  records,  345.  French- Canadian  Cat- 
tle :  History,  347 ;  Description,  348 ;  Uses  of  French- 
Canadian  cattle,  349 ;  Management,  350 ;  Distribution, 
351 ;  Organizations  and  records,  352. 


CHAPTER   X 
THE  DUAL-PURPOSE  BREEDS  or  CATTLE 


.     313-322 


Red  Polled  Cattle  :  History  in  England,  354  ;  History 
in  America,  355 ;  Description,  356 ;  Types,  357  ;  Uses 
of  Red  Polled  cattle,  358 ;  Distribution,  359  ;  Organiza- 
tions and  records,  360.  Devon  Cattle  :  History  in  Eng- 
land, 362  ;  History  in  America,  363  ;  Description,  364  ; 
Types,  365;  Uses  of  Devon  cattle,  366;  Distribution, 
367  ;  Organizations  and  records,  368. 


CHAPTER   XI 
LESSER  KNOWN  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE 


.     323-325 


Kerry  cattle,  369  ;  Dexter-Kerry  cattle,  370  ;  West 
Highland  cattle,  371 ;  Brahmin,  Zebu  or  sacred  cattle 
of  India,  372;  Siininenthal,  373;  Longhorn  cattle,  374. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS  Xlll 

PART   III 
THE   BEEEDS   OF   SHEEP   AND   GOATS 


CHAPTER  XII 

PAGES 

THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP 329-361 

Southdown  Sheep :  History  in  England,  376  ;  History 
in  America,  377  ;  Description,  378  ;  Uses  of  Southdown 
sheep,  379  ;  Distribution,  380 ;  Organizations  and  rec- 
ords, 381.  Shropshire  Down  Sheep :  History  in  Eng- 
land, 383 ;  History  in  America,  384  ;  Description,  385 ; 
Uses  of  Shropshire  sheep,  386 ;  Distribution,  387  ;  Or- 
ganizations and  records,  388.  Oxford  Down  Sheep : 
History  in  England,  390  ;  History  in  America,  391  ; 
Description,  392  ;  Uses  of  Oxford  sheep,  393  ;  Distribu- 
tion, 394  ;  Organizations  and  records,  395.  Hampshire 
Down  Sheep :  History  in  England,  397  ;  History  in 
America,  398;  Description,  399;  Uses  of  Hampshire 
sheep,  400 ;  Distribution,  401  ;  Organizations  and  rec- 
ords, 402.  Suffolk  Down  Sheep :  History  in  England, 
404;  History  in  America,  405;  Description,  406;  Uses 
of  Suffolk  sheep,  407  ;  Distribution,  408  ;  Organizations 
and  records,  409.  Dorset-Horn  Sheep :  History  in 
England,  411 ;  In  America,  412 ;  Description,  413 ;  Uses 
of  Dorset-Horn  sheep,  414 ;  Distribution,  415  ;  Organi- 
zations and  records,  416.  Cheviot  Sheep :  History,  418  ; 
Description,  419  ;  Uses  of  Cheviot  sheep,  420  ;  Distribu- 
tion, 421 ;  Organizations  and  records,  422.  Leicester 
Sheep :  History  in  England,  424 ;  History  in  America, 
425  ;  Description,  426  ;  Types,  427 ;  Uses  of  Leicester 
sheep,  428  ;  Distribution,  429 ;  Organizations  and  rec- 
ords, 430.  Lincoln  Sheep:  History,  432;  Families, 
433 ;  Description,  434^  Uses  of  Lincoln  sheep,  435 ; 
Distribution,  436 ;  Organizations  and  records,  437. 
Cotswold  Sheep :  History  in  England,  439 ;  History  in 
America,  440 ;  Description,  441 ;  Uses  of  Cotswold 
sheep,  442 ;  Distribution,  443 ;  Organizations  and  rec- 
ords, 444. 


XIV 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


CHAPTER   XIII 
THE  WOOL  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP 


Merino  Sheep :  History  in  Spain,  446 ;  History  in 
America,  447  ;  Families,  448 ;  Description,  449  ;  Uses 
of  Merino  sheep,  450 ;  The  wool,  451 ;  Distribution, 
452.  American  Merino  Sheep  :  Description,  454  ;  Uses 
of  American  Merino  sheep,  455 ;  Distribution,  456 ; 
Organizations  and  records,  457.  Delaine  Merino  Sheep  : 
Families,  459  ;  Description,  460 ;  Uses  of  Delaine  Merino 
sheep,  461 ;  Distribution,  462 ;  Organizations  and  rec- 
ords, 463.  Bambouillet  or  French  Merino  Sheep :  His- 
tory, 465  ;  Description,  466 ;  Uses  of  Rambouillet  sheep, 
467  ;  Distribution,  468  ;  Organizations  and  records,  469. 


CHAPTER  XIV 
LESSER  KNOWN  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP 


Barbados  or  "Woolless"  sheep,  471;  Black-face 
Highland  sheep,  472  ;  Herdwick  sheep,  473  ;  Persiacot 
and  Persiarino  sheep,  474  ;  Romney  Marsh  sheep,  475  ; 
Ryeland  sheep,  476 ;  Tunis  sheep,  477  ;  Wensleydale 
sheep,  478. 


PAGES 

362-380 


381-389 


CHAPTER   XV 

GOATS 390-411 

Angora  Goat :  Origin,  480  ;  History  in  America,  481 ; 
Description,  482 ;  Types,  483  ;  Distribution,  484  ;  Breed- 
ing of  Angoras,  485  ;  Feeding,  486 ;  Marking,  487 ; 
Shearing,  488 ;  Uses  of  Angoras,  489 ;  Organizations 
and  records,  490.  Milch  Goats :  Description,  492 ;  Gen- 
eral history,  493  ;  History  in  America,  494 ;  Distribu- 
tion, 495  ;  Breeds  and  types,  496 ;  Management  and 
feeding,  497  ;  Use  for  milk,  498  ;  Other  uses  of  Milch 
goats,  499  ;  Organizations  and  records,  500. 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


XV 


PART  IV 

BREEDS  OF  SWINE 


CHAPTER   XVI 
THE  FAT  OR  LARD  BREEDS  OP  SWINE 


415-449 


Berkshire  Swine :  History  in  England,  502 ;  History 
in  America,  503  ;  Description,  504 ;  Types,  505 ;  Uses 
of  Berkshire  hogs,  506 ;  Distribution,  507  ;  Organiza- 
tions and  records,  508.  Poland- China  Swine:  History, 
510;  Description,  511;  Types,  512;  Uses  of  Poland- 
China  hogs,  613;  Distribution,  514;  Organizations  and 
records,  515.  Duroc-Jersey  Swine  :  History,  517  ;  De- 
scription, 518;  Types,  519;  Uses  of  Duroc-Jersey  hogs, 
520 ;  Distribution,  521  ;  Organizations  and  records,  522. 
Chester-White  Swine:  History,  524;  Description,  525; 
Types,  526  ;  Uses  of  Chester- White  hogs,  527  ;  Distri- 
bution, 528  ;  Organizations  and  records,  529.  Hamp- 
shire or  Thin  Rind  Swine :  History,  531 ;  Description, 
532  ;  Types,  533  ;  Uses  of  Hampshire  hogs,  534  ;  Distri- 
bution, 535  ;  Organizations  and  records,  536.  Cheshire 
Swine:  History,  538;  Description,  539;  Types,  540; 
Uses  of  Cheshire  hogs,  541 ;  Distribution,  542  ;  Organi- 
zations and  records,  543.  Victoria  Swine:  History, 
645 ;  Description,  546  ;  Uses  of  Victoria  hogs,  547  ;  Dis- 
tribution, 548 ;  Organizations  and  records,  549.  Essex 
Swine :  History,  651 ;  Description,  552  ;  Types,  553 ; 
Uses  of  Essex  hogs,  554 ;  Distribution,  555 ;  Organiza- 
tions and  records,  556.  Suffolk  Swine :  History,  658  ; 
Description,  559 ;  Uses  of  Suffolk  hogs,  560  ;  Distribu- 
tion, 661 ;  Organizations  and  records,  562.  Small 
Yorkshire  or  Small  White  Swine:  History,  564;  De- 
scription, 565  ;  Uses  of  Small  Yorkshire  hogs,  566  ;  Dis- 
tribution, 567  ;  Organizations  and  records,  568. 

CHAPTER  XVII 
THE  BACON  BREEDS  OF  SWINE 

Large  Yorkshire  or  Large  White  Swine:  History  in 
England,  570;  History  in  America,  571;  Description, 


450-459 


XVI 


TABLE  OF  CONTENTS 


572 ;  Types,  673  ;  Uses  of  Large  Yorkshire  hogs,  574 ; 
Distribution,  575 ;  Organizations  and  records,  576. 
Tamworth  Swine  :  History  in  England,  578  ;  History  in 
America,  579 ;  Description,  580 ;  Uses  of  Tamworth 
hogs,  581 ;  Distribution,  682 ;  Organizations  and  rec- 
ords, 583. 


CHAPTER   XVIII 

LESSER  KNOWN  BREEDS  OF  SWINE 

Historic  breeds,  685  ;  Chinese  swine,  586  ;  Neapolitan 
swine,  587  ;  Siamese  swine,  588 ;  Large  Black  swine, 
689  ;  Middle  White  or  Middle  Yorkshire  swine,  690 ; 
Lincolnshire  Curly-coated,  591 ;  Razorback  swine,  592. 


460-466 


LIST  OF  PLATES 


I.    TYPES  OP  HORSES     ......       Frontispiece 

Percheron  Stallion. 
Belgian  Mares. 

FACING   PAGE 

II.     TYPES  OP  HORSES  —  THE  CLYDESDALE    ....      24 

III.  TYPES  OF  HORSES     ........      44 

Hackney  Mares. 
American  Saddle  Horse. 

IV.  TYPES  OF  HORSES     ........      80 

Standardbred  Stallion. 
Morgan  Stallion. 

V.     TYPES  OF  HORSES     ........     108 

A  Thoroughbred  Stallion. 
Cow  Pony  or  Bronco. 

VI.     TYPES  OP  CATTLE     ........    200 

Shorthorn  Bull. 
Shorthorn  Cow. 

VII.     TYPES  OP  CATTLE  —  MILKING  SHORTHORNS     .         .        .     214 

VIII.     TYPES  OF  CATTLE     ........     226 

Head  of  Hereford  Bull. 

Head  of  Aberdeen-Angus  Bull. 

IX.     TYPES  OP  CATTLE     ........     242 

Galloway  Heifer. 
Guernsey  Bull. 

X.     TYPES  OP  CATTLE  —  A  JERSEY  Cow       .        .        .         .258 

XI.     TYPES  OP  CATTLE     ........     278 

Holstein  Cow. 
Ayrshire  Cow. 

xvii 


xviii  LIST  OF  PLATES 

PLATB  FACING  PAGE 

XII.     TYPES  OP  SHEEP       . 328 

Oxford  Down  Ewes. 
Roinney  Marsh  Ram. 
Shropshire  Ewes. 
Shropshire  Ram. 

XIII.  TYPES  OP  SHEEP 350 

Leicester  Ram. 
Lincoln  Ram. 
Hampshire  Ram. 
Cotswold  Ewes. 

XIV.  TYPES  OP  SHEEP  — THE  MERINO 366 

XV.     TYPES  OF  SWINE 414 

Poland  China  Boar. 
Berkshire  Boar. 
Tamworth  Sow. 
Hampshire  Sows. 

XVI.     TYPES  OF  SWINE 440 

Middle  White  Sow. 
Small  White  (Yorkshire)  Sow. 
Large  White  (Yorkshire)  Boar. 
Victoria  Boar. 


THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 


THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

INTRODUCTION 
THE  STUDY  OF   THE  BREEDS 

IN  this  era  of  improved  live-stock  husbandry  it  is  more 
the  exception  than  the  rule  to  find  horses,  cattle,  sheep, 
hogs  and  even  chickens  that  do  not  show  the  distinguish- 
ing characters  of  some  breed  predominating  their  physical 
makeup.  The  true  mongrel  of  nondescript  breeding  is 
in  the  minority.  How  has  this  come  about?  Does 
it  reflect,  in  exact  measure,  the  success  of  the  breed 
associations  and  others  in  their  efforts  to  promote  the 
interests  of  their  respective  breeds,  or  a  general  sentimen- 
tal preference  for  the  pure-bred  sire  ?  Neither  —  it  is  an 
economic  problem.  The  most  convincing  basis  upon 
which  to  argue  is  one  of  dollars  and  cents  and  the  grade 
has  demonstrated  itself  to  be  a  better  business  proposi- 
tion than  the  mongrel.  It  is  more  reasonable  to  suppose 
that  a  cow,  for  example,  which  has  inherited  from  her 
sire,  if  not  from  her  dam  also,  the  cumulative  high  pro- 
duction that  has  been  sought  through  a  long  line  of  an- 
cestors, will  be  more  productive  than  one  whose  incentive 
to  give  milk  is  merely  incident  to  maternity. 

With  a  variety  of  breeds,  each  endowed  with  greater 
proficiency  for  some  special  performance  or  production, 
the  grade  has  become  the  only  animal  worth  feeding. 
Competition  in  the  marketing  of  products,  high-priced 


2  THE  'BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

feed  and  labor  increasing  the  cost  of  production  and  ren- 
dering more  imperative  the  economic  efficiency  of  the 
animal  machine  itself,  affords  the  strongest  argument  in 
favor  of  the  high  grade  animal. 

The  breeding  of  pure-bred  live-stock  is  too  often  re- 
garded as  beyond  the  concern  of  the  average  breeder. 
While  he  may  not  be  equipped  to  engage  in  it  himself  he 
must  be  an  indirect  patron  of  the  pure-bred  stud,  herd  or 
flock  if  he  is  to  succeed  in  his  business  of  marketing  animals 
or  their  products.  Furthermore,  the  high  grade  animal 
embodies  to  such  a  great  extent  the  characteristics  of  the 
breed  from  which  it  is  derived  as  to  make  the  study  of 
the  breeds  of  as  much  importance  to  the  breeder  of  grades 
as  to  the  breeder  of  pure-breds. 

Cross-breeding  is  legitimately  practiced  to  some  extent, 
but  skillful  use  of  the  blood  of  the  breeds  crossed  requires 
intimate  knowledge  of  their  inherent  possibilities.  Failure 
to  reckon  with  these  invisible  hereditary  forces  may  result 
in  some  of  the  most  unexpected  occurrences  with  which 
all  cross-breeding  is  more  or  less  fraught. 

Study  of  the  breeds  should  be  undertaken,  however, 
with  the  proper  motive  and  from  the  correct  point  of  view. 
Each  breed  has  its  advocates  and  it  is  well  that  this  is  so, 
but  it  is  not  advisable  to  "  vote  on  principle  "  in  breeds 
as  is  done  in  politics.  A  blindly  partisan  allegiance  to 
any  breed  may  lead  a  breeder  wide  of  the  mark  that  he 
is  striving  to  attain.  An  intelligent  choice  of  a  breed 
involves  first,  recognition  of  the  conditions  to  be  met, 
such  as  markets,  facilities  with  which  to  cater  to  their 
demands,  the  existence  of  community  sentiment  and 
reputation,  and  finally  personal  fancy ;  second,  knowledge 
of  the  special  adaptability  of  the  respective  breed  to  meet 
the  conditions  imposed. 


THE  STUDY  OF  THE  BREEDS  3 

The  distinctive  characters  of  each  breed  are  the  result 
of  definite  factors  operating  during  the  formative  period 
of  the  breed.  The  chief  of  these  are  the  origin,  which 
determines  their  hereditary  bent;  the  environment,  in- 
cluding the  location,  topography,  nature  of  the  soil  and 
vegetation;  and  the  ideals  to  which  the  breeders  have 
selected,  governed,  of  course,  by  the  type  of  farming  or 
industry  in  which  they  are  engaged.  Any  one  exclu- 
sively, two  or  all  may  be  chiefly  responsible  for  the  types 
that  prevail  in  the  different  breeds. 

The  study  of  the  breeds  is  most  comprehensively  con- 
ducted, therefore,  under  the  following  headings:  Intro- 
ductory statement;  history,  both  ancient  £fcnd  modern, 
the  latter  dealing  with  the  breeds  in  this  country  especially , 
in  the  case  of  foreign  breeds ;  a  description  of  the  typical 
representative ;  the  uses  to  which  his  breed  characteristics 
best  adapt  him;  his  distribution  throughout  the  world 
as  the  result  of  his  adaptability  and  usefulness;  the  or- 
ganizations which  promote  the  interests  of  the  breed  and 
record  the  pedigrees;  and  finally,  the  best  sources  of 
additional  information  concerning  each  breed. 

Breeds  of  live-stock,  unlike  many  of  the  poultry  breeds, 
for  instance,  have  been  builded  on  a  utility  basis  and 
they  can,  therefore,  be  grouped  according  to  the  types 
to  which  their  representatives  conform.  Types,  it  should 
be  understood,  are  market  or  producer's  creations,  dif- 
ferentiated on  the  principle  that  a  distinct  form  is  corre- 
lated with  a  definite  function. 

All  members  of  a  group  possess  the  type  characters 
in  common,  while  the  features  by  which  the  members  of 
the  type  group  may  be  distinguished  constitute  the  breed 
characters. 


PART  I 


THE   BREEDS  OF  HORSES 

THE  breeds  of  horses  may  be  classified  according  to 
the  type  to  which  their  best  representatives  conform  as 
follows : 


Draft 
Page? 


Heavy  Harness 
Page  44 


Light  Harness 
Page  79 


Saddle 
Page  108 


Pony 

Page  157 

Mules  and  Jacks 
Page  181 

Military  Horse 
Page  190 


Percheron 

French  Draft 

Belgian 

Clydesdale 

Shire 

Suffolk 

Hackney 

French  Coach 

German  Coach 

Cleveland  Bay  and  Yorkshire  Coach 

American  Standardised  Trotting 

Standardised  Pacing 

Orloff 

Thoroughbred 

American  Saddle  Horse 

Arab 

Barb  and  Turk 

Hunter 

f  American 

<  Ponies  of  the  British  Isles 

I  Other  Ponies 


CHAPTER  I 
THE  DRAFT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES 

ALL  individuals  representing  the  following  breeds 
should  possess  primarily  the  low  station,  wide,  deep, 
compact,  massive  and  big-boned  form  typical  of  the 
drafter.  Sharp  contrast  should  be  made  between  these 
features,  which  are  common  to  all  the  breeds  in  this 
group,  and  the  distinctive  features  or  marks  possessed  by 
each  breed  in  particular  and  by  means  of  which  they  are 
differentiated. 

PERCHERON  HORSE.    Plate  I. 
By  Charles  F.  Curtiss  and  John  A.  Craig 

1.  The  Percheron  breed  of  draft  horses  is  native  of 
the  ancient  province  of  La  Perche,  a  territory  about 
one  hundred  miles  square,  in  the  north-central  part  of 
France.  This  region  lies  in  the  heart  of  a  fertile  farming 
country.  The  land  is  high  and  rolling,  the  soil  is  fertile 
and  the  farms  are  watered  by  numerous  springs  and  small 
streams.  These  springs  and  brooks  give  rise  to  some 
eight  or  ten  rivers  flowing  into  the  English  Channel  on 
the  north  and  the  Atlantic  Ocean  on  the  west.  The  numer- 
ous valleys  are  rich  and  they  produce  sweet,  nutritious 
grasses  and  bountiful  crops  of  grain.  The  climate  is 
mild,  yet  sufficiently  tonic  and  invigorating  to  produce 
horses  of  good  temperament.  The  land  is  held  mainly 

7 


8  TEE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

by  tenant  farmers  who  are  frugal  and  thrifty,  and  good 
tillers  of  the  soil.  The  natural  conditions  of  this  region 
all  combine  to  make  a  most  favorable  environment  for 
this  widely  known  and  popular  breed.  Among  the  breeds 
of  draft  horses  that  have  been  imported  to  America  from 
France,  the  Percheron  leads  both  in  numbers  and  in 
popularity. 

2.  History  in  France.  —  France  has  long  been  noted 
for  good  horses.  The  horses  of  France,  like  those  of  other 
countries,  were  first  improved  for  the  purpose  of  war. 
The  Flemish  blood  was  largely  drawn  on  in  early  times 
and  importations  of  oriental  blood  were  made  at  a  very 
early  date.  This  blood  was  infused  with  the  native  horse 
stock  of  France,  which  may  have  been  Flemish  in  its 
origin.  The  oriental  blood  imparted  a  degree  of  refine- 
ment and  finish  that  has  ever  since  characterized  the 
modern  draft-horse  stock  of  France. 

Since  732,  when  the  French  defeated  the  Saracens  and 
captured  their  horses,  infusions  of  Arabian  blood  have 
been  made,  and  the  subsequent  use  of  Arabian  stallions 
on  the  native  mares  continued  as  late  as  1820.  In  this 
way,  a  foundation  was  laid  for  a  breed  of  horses  possessing 
activity,  quality  and  strength.  The  extension  of  rail- 
roads, reducing  the  use  of  the  omnibus,  seems  to  have  di- 
verted the  breed  towards  a  heavier  type.  This  led  to  the 
use  of  Flemish  stallions.  The  conditions  of  La  Perche  be- 
ing favorable  for  the  growth  of  strong,  active  horses,  the 
breed  started  in  this  way  made  very  rapid  progress.  There 
are  some  features  of  French  management  that  may  have 
had  an  influence  also  in  directing  the  development  of  the 
breed.  It  is  a  common  practice  to  work  the  stallions, 
and  this  may  have  been  a  factor  of  some  effect  on  their 
dispositions,  making  them  more  amenable  to  work. 


THE  DRAFT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES        9 

It  should  be  said  that  the  French  government  recognizes 
several  breeds  of  draft  horses,  but  the  Percheron  and  the 
Boulonnais  are  apparently  the  only  two  that  may  be 
considered  pure,  as  they  have  stud-books  separate  from 
the  others.  In  addition,  there  are  the  Breton,  Nivernais 
and  Ardennais,  all  of  which  may  be  recorded  in  the  General 
Draft  Stud-book  of  France.  [These  breeds  are  discussed 
on  pages  18-20.] 

In  addition  to  controlling  the  matter  of  registration, 
the  French  government  has  a  system  of  inspection,  which 
in  some  degree  assists  its  horse-breeding  interests.  The 
veterinary  inspection,  however,  is  limited  to  periodic 
ophthalmia  or  moon  blindness  and  roaring  or  thick  wind. 
Johnstone  (The  Horse  Book)  states  that  there  are  only 
two  maladies  for  possession  of  which  approval,  authoriza- 
tion or  certification  is  refused  in  France  —  periodic 
ophthalmia  and  thick  wind.  This  being  so,  the  branding 
system  carried  out  by  the  French  government  does  not 
carry  so  much  weight  as  is  commonly  supposed,  for  inspec- 
tion apparently  only  discriminates  against  these  two 
diseases,  and  there  is  nothing  in  the  law  to  prevent  any 
breeder  using  such  unsound  stallions  on  his  own  mares. 
The  author  referred  to  states  further,  that  when  a  stallion 
is  pronounced  free  from^  the  unsoundnesses  named,  he  is 
branded  on  the  neck  under  the  mane  with  a  five-pointed 
star.  The  colt  must  be  over  thirty  months  of  age  before 
he  can  stand  for  public  service,  and  the  certificate  of 
freedom  from  these  diseases  covers  only  one  year.  If 
the  colt  fails  to  pass  inspection  for  these  diseases,  or  if 
the  diseases  develop  after  the  inspection,  then  the  letter 
"R,"  meaning  refused,  is  branded  over  the  five-pointed 
star.  These  are  the  only  brands  used  by  the  French 
government. 


10  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

The  French  Percheron  Society,  however,  uses  a  brand 
that  is  put  on  all  stallions  and  mares  recorded  in  its 
stud-book.  It  is  a  monogram  of  the  letters  S.  and  P., 
the  initials  of  the  society.  It  is  branded  on  the  neck  under 
the  mane.  • 

After  successfully  passing  the  inspection,  the  horses 
are  classified  in  three  grades.  The  first  are  known  as 
"  subsidized  "  or  "  approved,"  and  to  such  a  cash  bonus 
is  awarded  to  keep  them  in  France  on  the  owner's  farm, 
and  available  to  outside  mares.  The  other  two  are 
"  authorized  "  and  "  certified,"  neither  of  which  carries 
with  it  any  subsidy. 

3.  History  in  America. — The  first  importation  to  America 
was  made  in  1839,  by  Edward  Harris,  of  Moorestown,  New 
Jersey.  The  next  importation  was  made  in  1851,  by 
Fullington  and  Martin  of  Milford  Centre,  Ohio.  This 
importation  was  of  far-reaching  importance,  although  it 
consisted  of  but  a  single  horse  named  "  Louis  Napoleon." 
This  horse  was  sold  and  taken  to  Illinois  in  1856, 
where  he  afterward  passed  into  the  hands  of  Mr.  Dillon, 
of  Normal,  Illinois.  "  Louis  Napoleon "  stood  fifteen 
and  one-half  hands  high  and  weighed  about  sixteen  hun- 
dred pounds.  He  was,  perhaps,  the  most  noted  horse 
of  the  breed  that  has  been  brought  to  America.  It  is 
estimated  that  he  sired  over  four  hundred  colts  that  were 
used  successfully  for  stud  purposes.  In  1851  and  suc- 
ceeding years,  other  importations  were  made  which  helped 
to  lay  the  foundation  of  the  breed  in  America.  In  1870, 
M.  W.  Dunham,  of  Wayne,  Illinois,  took  up  the  importa- 
tion, since  which  time  he  and  his  family  have  imported  and 
bred  Percherons  very  extensively.  Through  his  efforts  the 
breed  has  gained  much  popularity  in  America.  Many  other 
importers  might  be  mentioned,  but  the  list  is  now  a  long 


THE  DRAFT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  11 

one,  as  the  importations  of  horses  of  this  breed  have 
been  very  extensive.  The  Percheron  breed  has  made 
rapid  progress  in  popularity  in  this  country.  It  is  the 
most  numerous  and  the  most  generally  popular  of  any 
breed  of  draft  horses  in  America.  This  is  accounted 
for  chiefly  by  the  degree  to  which  the  Percheron  is  adapted 
for  the  work  on  most  of  our  farms,  as  well  as  to  produce 
an  active  draft  horse  for  the  market.  •' 

4.  Description  of  Percherons.  —  Nearly  a  century  ago 
the  aim  of  the  breeders  of  horses  in  La  Perche  was  to 
produce  a  medium-weight  draft  horse,  suited  in  type  and 
action  for  pulling  a  "  diligence "  or  omnibus.  At  an 
early  day,  the  demand  existed  in  France  for  a  horse  that 
could  haul  a  load  at  as  rapid  a  rate  as  possible.  At  this 
time,  the  breed  was  represented  by  horses  of  upstanding 
type,  somewhat  rangy  but  strongly  built,  with  attractive 
and  unusual  action  for  draft  horses.  They  were  then 
gray  in  color,  and  these  were  the  first  to  be  brought  to 
America.  While  not  so  drafty  in  type  as  the  modern 
Percheron,  they  were  horses  of  superb  style,  full  of  vigor, 
and  they  had  powerful  action  which  enabled  them  to 
pull  strongly  and  move  quickly  at  the  same  time.  In 
themselves,  the  gray  Percherons  of  early  days  were 
unusual  draft  horses,  and  it  was  the  degree  to  which  they 
combined  activity  with  pulling  power  that  made  the 
Percheron  a  very  popular  horse  for  farm  work.  But  the 
demand  in  America  became  more  insistent  for  a  heavier, 
blockier,  shorter-legged  type,  that  would  grade  the  prod- 
uce of  our  lighter  mares  to  a  draft  weight  quicker. 
This  demand  resulted  in  the  modern  black  Percheron 
of  somewhat  stouter  build,  deeper  body,  more  weight,  and 
as  much  quality  as  the  prototype;  but  there  was  some 
sacrifice  of  style,  standing  or  going,  with  somewhat  less 


12  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

attractive  action.  The  modern  Percheron  approaches 
more  closely  the  essentials  of  a  draft  horse  to  meet  modern 
markets,  but  the  old  type  had  some  qualities,  such  as 
style,  endurance  and  activity,  which  were  difficult  to 
retain  in  a  shorter  and  stouter  built  horse  of  more 
weight. 

The  present-day  Percheron's  excellencies  are  to  be  seen 
in  the  active  temperament,  intelligent  head,  deep  body, 
wide  muscular  croup  and  clean-cut  legs  of  the  typical 
representative.  The  joints  are  usually  clean  and  hard, 
and  the  legs  invariably  show  an  abundance  of  quality 
that  guarantees  durability ;  but  frequently  the  set  of  the 
legs  and,  particularly,  the  shape  of  the  hind-quarters, 
is  at  fault.  A  croup  too  sloping,  with  deficiency  in  muscle 
below,  cannot  give  the  greatest  pulling  power,  especially 
when  associated,  as  it  often  is,  with  legs  that  are  improp- 
erly set,  being  either  too  straight,  sickle-hocked  or  other- 
wise cramped  in  the  hind-quarters.  The  Percheron  is 
rarely  deficient  in  quality  and  activity,  and  when  the 
weight  is  sufficient  to  meet  the  demands  of  the  modern 
draft-horse  market,  a  draft  horse  of  unusual  excellencies 
is  the  result.  The  action  of  the  Percheron  is  almost  always 
quick  enough  for  a  draft  horse,  and  the  feet  are  generally 
picked  up  with  snap  at  the  walk;  but  these  should  not 
be  allowed  to  overshadow  desirable  mechanical  action, 
which  is  straight  and  distance-covering,  although  less 
showy  and  attractive. 

In  size,  the  Percheron  ranges  from  fifteen  and  one- 
fourth  to  sixteen  and  one-half  hands,  and  from  1500  to 
over  2000  pounds  in  weight.  There  are  a  number  of 
medium  size,  although  the  largest  take  rank  with  the 
largest  of  any  of  the  draft  breeds.  In  France  there  is  a 
type  smaller  in  size  than  the  medium.  These  are  popu- 


THE  DRAFT  BREEDS   OF  HORSES  13 

lar  for  general  traffic  and  for  bus  and  tram  use  in  cities. 
The  demand  in  the  United  States  is  for  the  larger  types. 

5.  Uses   of   Percherons.  —  The   Percheron   has   little 
use  except  as  a  draft  horse  and  as  a  producer  of  grade 
draft   horses.     The   usefulness   of   this   breed   for   draft 
purposes  is  so  well  known  that  it  is  unnecessary  to  dwell 
on  that  feature.     But  it  is  well  to  call  attention  to  the 
fact  that  a  large  proportion  of  our  draft  teams  contain 
Percheron  blood,   and   that  the  results  which  follow  a 
cross  of  a  pure-bred  Percheron  stallion  on  a  mare  of  other 
draft  breeds,  or  even  on  the  heavier  types  of  our  common 
mares,  are  most  excellent. 

6.  Distribution.  —  The   Percheron   breed   has   proved 
generally  popular  in  nearly  all  parts  of  the  United  States, 
particularly  in  the  farming  regions  where  draft  horses 
are  raised  for  market.     It  is  well  adapted  to  farm  condi- 
tions  and   meets  with  favor   on   the   markets.     Plumb 
(Types  and  Breeds  of  Farm  Animals)  quotes  Weld  as 
authority  for  the  statement  that  in  1866  there  were  fully 
5000  Percherons  in  this  country.     Illinois  has  been  the 
chief  center  for  the  breed,  with  the  adjoining  states  of 
Ohio,    Iowa,    Michigan    and    Wisconsin    following   with 
lesser  numbers.     The  same  author  states  that  between 
1851  and  1883    nearly  4000   Percherons  were  imported 
or  bred  in  the  United  States,  and  these  were  distributed 
about   as   follows:    Illinois,    1834;    Ohio,   Indiana   and 
Michigan,  577;    Wisconsin,  Iowa  and  Minnesota,  424; 
New  York,  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey,  280 ;  Missouri, 
Kansas  and  Nebraska,  186.     These  figures  are  an  index 
of  the  relative  extensiveness  of  the  Percheron  breeding 
interests  to-day,  although  it  is  likely  the  western  states 
carry  more  compared  with  the  others  than  they  did  at 
that  early  time.     The  southern  states  have  become  an 


14  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

altogether  new  field  for  the  Percheron,  although  not  many 
of  the  breed  have  been  brought  into  the  South  or  into 
Canada,  where  the  British  breeds  seem  to  be  in  more 
favor.  Wilcox  (Farm  Animals)  has  stated  that  there 
are  30,000  registered  Percheron  horses  in  the  United 
States,  which  is  a  larger  number  than  any  other  draft  breed. 

7.  Organizations  and  records.  —  In  France,  the  inter- 
ests of  this  breed  are  in  the  hands  of  Societe  Hippique 
Percheronne.  It  was  organized  in  1883,  and  in  that 
year  published  its  first  stud-book.  The  Percheron  Society 
of  America  has  published  sixteen  volumes  of  the  Percheron 
Stud-book  of  America,  the  first  two  volumes,  however,  hav- 
ing been  published  by  the  Percheron-Norman  Horse 
Association.  One  hundred  and  eight  thousand  regis- 
trations have  been  made.  The  Percheron  Registry  Com- 
pany has  published  three  stud-books. 

There  have  been  many  dissensions  among  the  importers 
and  breeders  of  French  draft  horses,  leading  to  the  forma- 
tion of  several  societies  and  stud-books.  It  becomes 
necessary  to  discuss  these,  not  because  of  any  desire  to 
state  which  were  right  or  which  were  wrong,  but  solely 
for  the  purpose  of  explaining  the  status  of  the  societies 
and  stud-books  at  present  representing  the  breed. 

The  first  importations  of  draft  horses  from  France  to 
America  we.re  almost  universally  called  Normans.  There 
was  no  apparent  reason  for  the  name,  for  none  of  them 
came  from  Normandy.  This  name  at  that  time  was 
intended  to  embrace  all  the  breeds  of  draft  horses  in 
France.  Those  importers  bringing  horses  from  La 
Perche  considered  the  horses  from  that  district  the  typical 
draft  horses  of  France.  The  French  government  had 
not  at  that  time  established  the  Percheron  stud-book  (its 
publication  was  begun  in  1883),  consequently  there  was 


THE  DEAFT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES        15 

more  room  for  the  discussion  of  the  claim  at  that  time  than 
there  is  now.  In  1876,  when  the  importers  of  the  French 
draft  breeds  organized  and  issued  the  first  stud-book  under 
the  editorship  of  J.  H.  Sanders,  a  compromise  was  effected 
by  the  adoption  of  the  title  Percheron-Norman  Stud- 
book.  Some  of  the  members  withdrew,  forming  another 
association,  which  published  the  National  Register  of 
Norman  Horses,  and  this  was  afterwards  changed  to  the 
National  Register  of  French  Draft  Horses.  In  this  stud- 
book  are  registered  all  importations  that  are  registered 
in  the  General  Draft  Stud-book  of  France.  The  Percheron- 
Norman  Stud-book  was  changed  to  the  Percheron  Stud- 
book,  and  it  is  based  on  the  Percheron  Stud-book  of  France 
which,  since  1885,  has  accepted  for  entry  only  horses 
whose  ancestors  are  registered  in  the  book.  As  the  pres- 
ent stud-books  stand,  only  pure-bred  Percherons  may  be 
recorded  in  the  Percheron  Stud-book,  while  in  the  Register 
of  French  Draft  Horses  all  the  draft  breeds  of  France, 
including  Percherons,  may  be  admitted.  From  this 
unfortunate  diversity  of  stud-books,  the  Percheron  Stud- 
book  had  reached  the  point  of  being  recognized  as  the 
distinct  representative  of  the  Percheron  breed,  when 
internal  dissension  arose  over  the  powers  vested  in  the 
secretary.  The  outcome  was  a  division  into  three  asso- 
ciations that  published  stud-books.  The  American  Per- 
cheron Horse  Breeders'  and  Importers'  Association  was 
organized  in  1902,  but  in  1905  this  name  was  changed  to 
the  Percheron  Society  of  America,  writh  headquarters 
at  the  Union  Stock  Yards,  Chicago.  Also  in  1904,  the 
Percheron  Registry  Company  was  organized  with  head- 
quarters at  Columbus,  Ohio.  In  1905,  the  American 
Breeders'  and  Importers'  Percheron  Registry  was  or- 
ganized, with  headquarters  at  Plainfield,  Ohio. 


16  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

About  March  1, 1911  the  Percheron  Society  of  America 
took  over  all  the  books,  records  and  business  rights  of  the 
Percheron  Registry  Company,  issuing  to  each  of  the 
206  members  of  the  Percheron  Registry  Company  one 
share  of  stock  in  the  Percheron  Society  of  America.  The 
Percheron  Society  also  recognized  as  registered  horses 
the  animals  recorded  by  the  Percheron  Registry  Com- 
pany. The  produce  of  animals  with  Percheron  Registry 
certificates  are  not  accepted  for  record,  however,  until 
the  certificates  for  such  animals  are  renumbered,  rewritten 
and  placed  in  shape  for  republication.  This  rule  involves 
only  those  Percheron  stallions  bred  to  pure-bred  mares. 
Practically  all  of  the  animals  that  were  recorded  in  the 
Percheron  Registry  Company  that  had  any  produce  have 
already  been  renumbered  in  the  Percheron  Society  and 
most  of  their  pedigrees  have  been  rewritten.  The  present 
Percheron  Society  of  America  has  more  than  6700  mem- 
bers and  paid  in  capital  stock  in  excess  of  $70,000. 

Literature.  —  Charles  Du  Hays,  The  Percheron  Horse,  New 
York  (1868). 

FRENCH  DRAFT  HORSES.    Figs.  1,  2. 
By  W.  L.  Carlyle 

8.  The  northern  part  of  France  has  been  particularly 
fertile  in  the  production  of  high-class  horses  of  various 
types.  This  has  been  due  in  part  to  the  character  of 
the  soil  and  climate  and  to  the  food  on  which  they 
have  been  fed,  and  in  part  also  to  the  taste  and  tem- 
perament of  the  people  in  this  section.  In  addition  to 
the  Percheron  and  Demi-sang  Normand,  or  French  Coach 
horse,  there  have  been  developed  in  this  region  several 


THE  DRAFT  BREEDS   OF  HORSES  17 

distinctive  types  or  breeds  ranging  in  characteristics  from 
coach  horses  to  the  heaviest  type  of  drafters. 

These  have  been  introduced  into  America  simply  as 
French  draft  horses.  This  has  led  to  some  confusion  in  the 
names,  as  there  is  no  single  French  draft  breed,  but  rather 
several  distinct  breeds  or  types  of  French  draft  horses. 
The  French  draft  horse  best  known  in  America  is  the  Per- 
cheron  (see  pages  7—16).  Others  less  well  known  are 
the  Boulonnais,  Ardennais,  Breton  and  Nivernais,  which 
are  here  given  brief  treatment.  The  Picardy  draft  horse 
has  been  said  to  be  a  variety  or  type  of  the  Boulonnais. 
By  some  writers  it  is  held  to  be  a  Belgian  breed. 

9.  Boulonnais  (Fig.  1). — The  Boulonnais  breed  origi- 
nated in  the  Boulogne  district  in  northeastern  France  ad- 
joining Belgium.  In 
common  with  the 
other  draft  breeds  of 
France,  the  Boulon- 
nais horses  without 
doubt  had  their  origin 
in  the  heavy  Flemish 
horses.  In  their  gen- 
eral characteristics 
they  very  much  re- 
semble the  Percheron, 
so  much  so  that  it  is 

....  .  FIG.   1.  —  Boulonnais  stallion. 

impossible  in  the  best 

specimens  to  distinguish  one  from  the  other.  In  recent 
years  more  animals  of  gray  color  are  to  be  found  among 
the  Boulonnais  than  among  the  Percherons,  and  there 
has  probably  been  less  change  and  improvement  in  type 
in  the  Boulonnais  breed  than  in  the  Percherons.  They 
are  not  so  large  as  the  Percherons,  and  somewhat  less 
c 


18  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

refined,  on  the  whole.  The  breed  has  an  excellent  repu- 
tation in  its  native  country,  where  an  association  has 
been  formed  and  a  stud-book  kept  in  the  interest  of  the 
breed.  It  has  been  imported  in  large  numbers  to  America 
and  has  more  largely  than  any  other  breed  made  up  what 
is  known  as  the  French  draft  breed. 

The  head  of  the  Boulonnais  is  of  good  size,  being  broad 
in  the  forehead  and  with  a  larger  eye  than  the  Percheron, 
and  somewhat  more  clean-cut  about  the  lower  part  of  the 
head.  The  neck  is  medium  in  length  and  clean-cut.  The 
shoulders  are  laid  well  into  the  body  and  well-muscled. 
The  body  is  compact  and  deep-ribbed,  with  short  and 
broad  back  and  well-muscled  loins.  The  croup  is  in- 
clined to  be  short  and  with  a  low-set  tail.  The  hind- 
quarters are  muscular  and  broad  with  well-filled  thighs. 
The  legs  and  feet  are  free  from  superfluous  hair  and  are 
possessed  of  excellent  quality.  Many  Americans  favor 
the  feet  of  the  Boulonnais  in  preference  to  those  of  any 
of  the  other  French  breeds.  On  the  whole,  the  feet  are 
larger,  more  rounded  and  the  pasterns  have  more  slope 
than  the  Percherons'.  The  colors  are  dapple  gray,  dark 
iron-gray,  black,  brown  and  occasionally  chestnut. 

This  breed  is  growing  in  popularity  in  America,  and  its 
interests,  together  with  other  French  draft  breeds,  are 
represented  in  the  National  French  Draft  Association 
of  America,  which  publishes  a  stud-book.  This  Asso- 
ciation was  first  organized  as  the  National  Norman  Horse 
Association  in  1876,  but  its  title  was  changed  to  the  one 
that  it  now  bears  in  1885.  The  Association  thus  far 
has  published  nine  stud-books.  The  present  headquarters 
of  the  Association  are  at  Denver,  Colorado. 

10.  Ardennais.  —  This  draft  breed  or  stock  is  a 
native  of  Ardennais,  adjoining  the  Belgian  frontier  in 


THE  DRAFT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES 


19 


northeastern  France,  and  resembles  very  much  in  type 
and  characteristics  the  Belgian  draft  horse.  It  is  a  very 
blocky,  compact  breed  of  great  usefulness  for  producing 
heavy  farm  "  chunks/'  and  one  type  is  used  largely  as 
heavy  draft  horses.  Individuals  of  this  breed  scarcely 
equal  in  size  the  Belgians,  but  are  of  the  same  general 
stamp.  The  heads  are  strong,  with  small  eyes  and  ears, 
short,  thick  necks,  heavy  shoulders  and  short,  thick  and 
compact  bodies.  The  legs  are  short,  of  fairly  good  quality, 
although  the  feet  are  high  and  narrow.  The  color  of  the 
Ardennais  is  more  frequently  chestnut  and  roan  than 
anything  else,  although  bay  and  brown  are  sometimes 
found.  Gray  is  not  common  and  is  not  looked  on  with 
favor.  When  imported  into  this  country,  horses  of  this 
breed  are  eligible  for  registration  in  the  stud-book  of  the 
National  French  Draft  Horse  Association  of  America. 

11.  Breton  (Fig.  2).— This  breed  of  light  draft  or 
general-purpose  horses  belongs  to  Brittany,  in  the  western 
part  of  France  in  a 
section  of  country  that 
is  much  broken  in  sur- 
face. 

In  general,  these 
horses  have  intelligent 
heads,  clean-cut  necks 
of  medium  length, 
beautiful,  round,  well- 
muscled  bodies  with 
short  backs  and  rather 
longer  and  straighter 
croups  than  the  other 
French  breeds,  and  with  more  quality  in  the  legs  and 
feet,  the  latter  being  large  and  more  rounded  in  form 


FIG.  2.  —  Breton  stallion. 


20  TEE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

than  the  Percheron  or  the  Boulonnais.  In  color  they 
are  dapple-gray,  with  very  few  exceptions. 

Brittany  has  been  prominent  in  horse-breeding  for 
many  years,  although  the  animals  bred  are  rather  of 
a  miscellaneous  type.  The  Breton  horses  are  exceed- 
ingly useful  and  of  much  the  same  general  character  as 
the  old-style  Percherons,  but  are  smaller  and  more  refined 
in  type.  Many  of  the  Percheron  stallions  have  been 
taken  into  this  district  in  recent  years  in  an  effort  to 
improve  the  breed  in  size  and  character.  It  is  stated 
by  some  historians  that  English  races  have  been  intro- 
duced into  this  section,  which  possibly  accounts  for  the 
more  luxuriant  growth  of  hair  about  the  legs.  Repre- 
sentatives of  this  type  of  horses  are  used  very  largely 
in  France  as  omnibus  horses  in  the  cities.  They  have 
not  been  imported  to  this  country  to  any  great  extent, 
probably  owing  to  their  lack  of  size  and  weight. 

Representatives  of  this  breed  may  be  registered  in  the 
stud-book  of  the  National  French  Draft  Horse  Association 
of  America. 

12.  Nivernais.  —  The  Nivernais  is  a  breed  of  draft 
horses  of  French  origin.  The  horses  are  of  large  size,  with 
good  length  of  neck,  well-formed  bodies  of  good  length, 
massive  shoulders  and  hind-quarters,  and  very  strong 
bone,  giving  the  legs  a  rather  round  appearance.  They 
are  uniformly  black  in  color.  Seldom,  if  ever,  is  a  gray, 
brown  or  chestnut  to  be  found. 

This  breed  of  horses  has  been  developed  in  the  Depart- 
ment of  Nivernais,  or  Nievre,  in  central  France,  and  is 
one  of  the  largest  of  the  French  draft  horses.  Its  interests 
have  not  been  very  carefully  looked  after,  and  the  choice 
specimens  of  the  breed  are  not  very  numerous.  It  is 
only  within  the  past  nine  or  ten  years  that  an  associa- 


THE  DRAFT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES        21 

tion  has  been  formed  in  France  for  the  keeping  of  records 
in  the  form  of  a  stud-book.  It  is  thought  by  Americans 
who  have  investigated  the  matter  that  the  transformation 
in  color  and  size  in  the  Percheron  horses  in  the  past  ten 
or  fifteen  years  has  been  brought  about,  to  some  extent 
at  least,  by  the  use  of  the  best  types  of  Nivernais  stallions 
from  this  district,  crossed  on  the  mares  of  the  La  Perche 
district. 

Individuals  of  this  breed  have  been  imported  to  America 
in  increasing  numbers  in  recent  years ;  it  is  classed  as  one 
of  the  French  draft  breeds.  Individuals  of  this  breed  may 
be  recorded  in  the  stud-book  of  the  National  French  Draft 
Horse  Association  of  America  on  the  same  basis  as  are 
the  horses  of  the  Boulonnais  breed. 

BELGIAN  HORSE.    Plate  I.    Fig.  3. 
By  W.  L.  Carlyle 

13.  The  Belgian  horse  is  fast  becoming  one  of  the 
most  popular  of  the  draft  breeds. 

14.  History  in  Belgium.  —  In  the  early  history  of  the 
Belgian  breed  of  draft  horses,  no  particular  animals  appear 
to  have  been  prominent  nor  has  any  breeder  of  outstand- 
ing   merit    appeared.     This    breed,    unlike    most    other 
draft  breeds  that  have  been  developed,  has  been  almost 
entirely   the    product    of    its    environment.     The    small 
country  of  Belgium  has  a  reputation  as  the  home  of  draft 
horses  extending  back  through  several  centuries.     Many, 
if  not  all,  of  the  draft  breeds  of  Great  Britain  and  France 
were  greatly  improved  during  their  formative  period  by 
the  use  of  the  heavy  Flemish  horses,  the  early  progenitors 
of  the  Belgians.     Modern  horse-breeding  in  Belgium,  how- 


22 


THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 


ever,  is  of  comparatively  recent  development.  A  revival 
of  the  interest  in  it  was  stimulated  and  developed  with 
the  establishment  of  government  breeding  studs  in  1850. 
The  Belgium  government  annually  sets  apart  about 
$75,000  for  the  supervision  and  encouragement  of  draft- 
horse  breeding  in  that 
country.  By  a  system 
of  prizes,  and  financial 
encouragement  of  indi- 
vidual breeders,  as  well 
as  of  the  National 
Draft  Horse  Society  of 
Belgium  and  the  local 
fairs,  it  has  had  a  very 
potent  influence  in  the 
advancement  of  this 

FIG.  3.  -  A  Belgian  stallion.  breed    Ry  every  mean^ 

the  government  seeks  to  encourage  the  best  efforts  of  in- 
dividuals, and  to  discourage  the  exportation  of  desirable 
animals.  The  city  of  Antwerp,  in  Belgium,  is  noted 
throughout  the  world  as  possessing  many  of  the  finest 
specimens  of  draft  horses  to  be  found,  and  these  horses 
are  without  exception  of  the  Belgian  breed. 

15.  History  in  America.  —  The  history  of  this  breed 
in  America  is  comparatively  brief.  The  earliest  importa- 
tion was  probably  in  1886,  when  a  few  horses  were  im- 
ported into  Illinois  by  A.  G.  Van  Hoorebeke.  They 
were  at  that  time  incorrectly  termed  "  Boulonnais." 
Since  1887,  large  numbers  of  Belgian  draft  stallions  have 
been  imported  into  the  United  States  and  have  been  found 
exceedingly  valuable  for  crossing  on  native  grade  draft 
mares.  In  1888,  E.  Lefebure  began  importing  and  pro- 
moting the  interest  of  the  breed  in  this  country.  One 


THE  DRAFT  BREEDS   OF  HORSES  23 

of  the  first  firms  to  import  these  horses  was  D.  P.  Stubbs 
&  Sons,  of  Fairfield,  Iowa.  Since  1897,  there  has  been 
a  large  and  constantly  increasing  demand  for  stallions 
of  this  breed.  The  leading  importers  have  been  A.  B. 
Holbart  and  Lefebure  &  Sons,  of  Iowa ;  J.  Crouch  &  Son, 
of  Indiana;  McLaughlin  Bros.,  of  Columbus,  Ohio; 
Dunham  &  Fletcher,  of  Illinois,  and  H.  A.  Briggs,  of 
Wisconsin.  Very  few  mares  were  imported  into  this 
country  at  first  for  reasons  that  are  not  well  understood. 
This  was  due  partly  to  the  fact  that  there  was  not  the 
demand  for  the  Belgian  breed  to  encourage  importing 
and  breeding,  as  the  trade  was  better  satisfied  with  the 
Percheron  and  some  of  the  English  draft  breeds;  and 
partly  because  of  the  very  high  prices  asked  for  Belgian 
mares  abroad. 

16.  Description.  —  The  Belgian  draft  horse  is  one  of  the 
most  compact  in  form  of  any  draft  breed  representatives 
found  in  America,  possessing  a  maximum  of  weight  with 
very  short  body  set  on  short  legs.  He  is  broad,  massive  and 
well  proportioned,  as  a  rule.  In  quality  the  Belgian  is 
somewhat  lacking,  the  legs  appearing  round  and  rather 
coarse.  The  tendons  of  the  legs  are  thick  and  not  well  de- 
fined. The  skin  is  sometimes  fine,  although  the  hair  is 
occasionally  rather  coarse  and  inclined  to  curl.  The  head 
is  of  good  size,  the  nostrils  are  large  and  the  eyes  stoiall  and 
not  very  prominent.  The  ears  are  small,  set  wide  apart 
and  generally  are  not  well  carried.  The  neck  is  short,  very 
thick  and  well  crested.  The  shoulders  are  a  little  too  up- 
right, but  strong  and  heavily  muscled.  The  chest  is  deep 
and  wide,  giving  a  very  large  girth.  The  ribs  are  long,  well 
sprung,  and  closely  ribbed  up  to  the  hip,  giving  a  better 
barrel  than  is  found  in  any  other  breed  of  draft  horses. 
The  back  is  short,  very  broad  and  inclined  to  sag  some- 


24  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

what  more  than  is  desired.  The  loins  are  wide,  short  and 
very  thick.  The  flank  is  low  and  full.  The  hind-quarters 
are  inclined  to  be  short,  very  wide  and  muscular,  and  the 
tail  is  attached  somewhat  low  and  not  well  carried.  The 
lower  thighs  are  usually  very  wide  and  well  muscled. 
The  hocks  are  round,  not  clearly  defined  and  too  "  meaty." 
One  of  the  serious  faults  the  American  horsemen  have 
found  with  this  breed  is  in  the  character  of  the  bone  of 
the  legs,  particularly  with  the  hock  joints.  The  feet 
also  receive  rather  severe  criticism,  as  the  hoofs  are  in- 
clined to  be  small,  narrow  and  very  high  in  the  heels, 
predisposing  to  side-bones  and  contracted  feet.  Marked 
improvement  in  these  respects  has  been  noted  of  late, 
however.  In  action,  the  Belgians  are  inclined  to  stumble 
at  the  walk,  but  trot  off  freely  and  with  apparent  vim  and 
spirit.  In  color,  the  chestnut  and  roan  are  most  common, 
although  brown  and  bay  are  frequently  found.  The  grays 
are  not  in  favor,  although  occasionally  one  is  seen. 

In  Belgium,  these  draft  horses  are  classified  somewhat 
according  to  the  sections  of  the  country  in  which  they 
have  been  bred.  Those  from  Flanders  are  the  largest 
and  those  from  Ardennais  district  the  smallest,  while 
those  from  Brabant  are  of  medium  size  and  weight. 

17.  Uses  of  the  Belgian  horse.  —  These  horses  are 
bred  entirely  for  draft  purposes,  and  they  rank  well 
among  the  heavy  breeds,  especially  in  Europe.  The 
short,  stocky  legs,  and  low-set,  blocky  body  make  them 
very  useful  for  slow,  heavy  hauling  over  city  streets. 

Belgian  draft  horses  are  especially  adapted  for  crossing 
on  grade  draft  mares  lacking  in  weight  and  substance,  for 
the  production  of  heavy  draft  horses.  When  crossed  on 
grade  Percheron  or  Clydesdale  mares,  they  impart  an 
increased  depth  of  body  with  a  comparative  shortening 


00 


o 


THE  DRAFT  BREEDS   OF  HORSES  25 

of  the  legs,  and  a  general  massiveness  of  form  not  easily 
secured  by  the  use  of  any  other  breed  of  draft  stallions. 

18.  Distribution.  —  The  Belgian  breed  of  horses  had  no 
wide  distribution  outside  of  its  native  home,  until  within 
the  past  seventeen  years,  since  which  time  it  has  been  in 
general  demand  on  the  continent,  as  it  is  particularly  de- 
sirable for  use  in  the  heaviest  kind  of  work  in  large  cities. 
Numbers  have  been   imported   into   Germany,   France, 
Holland,  Sweden,  Austria,  and  other  European  countries, 
the  Argentine  Republic,  and  other  South  American  coun- 
tries, and  to  the  United  States,  where  they  have  found 
rather  extensive  favor,  particularly  in  the  central  states. 

19.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  National    Draft 
Horse  Society  of  Belgium  (Le  Cheval  de  Trait  Beige)  was 
founded  in  1886,  and  the  American  Association  of  Im- 
porters and  Breeders  of  Belgian  Draft  Horses  in  1887. 
The  former  association  has  issued  a  number  of  stud-books, 
and  is  very  aggressive  in  the  interest  of  the  breed.     It 
receives  national  financial   support.     For  twenty  years 
the  latter  association  did  very  little  to  encourage  the 
breed,  which  accounts,   in   part,  for   the  little  interest 
taken  in  these  horses  in  America  until  within  recent 
years.     It  is  now  more  active.     The  first  stud-book  was 
issued  in  1905,  since  which  time  five  more  volumes  have 
been  published. 

CLYDESDALE  HORSE.     Plate  II.    Figs.  4,  5. 
By  John  A.  Craig 

20.  This  breed  has  been  known  for  many  years  as  the 
draft  breed  of  Scotland.     It  is  one  of  the  oldest  breeds 
of  British  draft  horses. 


26  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

21.  Origin.  —  The  Clydesdale  originated  in  the  low- 
lands of  Scotland,  with  the  county  of  Lanark  as  the  chief 
center  of  activity  in  producing  the   breed.     It   is  fre- 
quently referred  to  as  the   Clydesdale  district,   and  is 
divided  throughout  its  length  by  the  Clyde  River.     While 
the  lowlands  of  Scotland  have  long  been  noted  for  the 
heavy  horses  bred  there,  yet  it  was  not  until  the  latter 
part  of  the  eighteenth  century  that  the  breed  was  much 
improved  by  the   importation  of    some  heavy  stallions 
from  Flanders.     John  Paterson,  of  Lochlyoch,  is  said  to 
have  imported  the  first  Flemish  stallion  for  this  purpose 
early  in  the  eighteenth  century.     The  Flemish  stallions 
were  large-boned  and  heavy  horses  of  sluggish  tempera- 
ment, with  slow,  awkward  action.     The  lowlands  of  Scot- 
land are  very  favorable  for  the  breeding  of  heavy  horses, 
as  the  soil  is  fertile  and  the  pasturage  luxuriant;    and 
these,  with  a  suitable  climate,  have  a  marked  effect  on 
the  characteristics  of  the  modern  Clydesdale,  as  they  are 
favorable  for  growth  of  bone  and  muscle,  giving  both 
height  and  substance. 

22.  History  of  breeding.  —  The  Clydesdale  of  to-day 
is  the  result  of  careful  and  persistent  breeding  for  definite 
ends.     The  results  of  the  breeders'  efforts  in  a  general 
way  may  be  summed  up  by  stating  that  they  have  ulti- 
mately been  very  successful  in  combining  weight,  quality 
and  action  as  the  prime  essentials  of  a  draft  horse.     These, 
successfully  united,  produce  a  draft  horse  that  has  pulling 
power,  wearing  quality  or  endurance,  in  association  with 
ability  to  move  properly  atf  a  satisfactory  pace,  either 
walking  or  trotting.     The  evolution  of  this  breed  of  draft 
horses  is  more  than  usually  interesting  because  of  the 
decided  views  of  the  home  breeders  and  the  singleness  of 
purpose  which  they  have  shown.     The  progress  has  been 


THE  DEAFT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES       27 

secured  through  concentration  on  one  feature  after  an- 
other, until  it  produced  the  desired  results.  Without 
government  direction  or  aid  to  secure  uniformity  of 
progress,  it  is  safe  to  say  that  the  Scottish  breeders  have 
accomplished  as  marked  improvement  in  their  draft 
horses  as  the  breeders  of  any  other  nation,  and  the  modern 
Clydesdale  of  accepted  type  possesses  inherited  char- 
acteristics so  fixed  by  consistent  breeding  that  they  are 
likely  to  be  passed  on  to  succeeding  generations.  Archi- 
bald MacNeilage,  secretary  of  the  Clydesdale  Horse 
Society  of  Scotland,  in  a  review  (Famous  Clydesdale 
Sires,  Transactions  of  Highland  and  Agricultural  Society, 
Vol.  IX,  1897)  of  the  most  noted  Clydesdale  sires  from 
Champion  to  MacGregor  1487,  shows  the  evolution  of  a 
type  from  a  coarse  prototype,  which  the  author  describes 
as  being  a  horse  of  weight  with  plenty  of  strength  of  bone, 
but  not  at  all  "  right  at  the  ground  "  in  the  modern  sense, 
nor  as  "  sweet  "  in  his  limbs  as  horses  are  liked  now. 

For  a  century  the  Clydesdale  breeders  in  Scotland 
worked  without  results  that  were  striking  on  the  surface, 
but  when  this  cycle  had  passed,  the  evolution  of  such  sires 
as  Prince  of  Wales  (673)  and  Darnley  (222)  had  crowned 
their  efforts.  The  former  is  credited  with  possessing 
style  and  action  in  an  unusual  degree,  and  these  qualities 
were  very  desirable  to  graft  on  to  the  breed  at  that  time. 
But  with  the  production  of  Darnley  (222),  a  sire  possess- 
ing the  true  balance  of  qualities  which  mark  the  service- 
able draft  horse,  with  the  power  to  reproduce  these,  the 
Clydesdale  breed  received  an  impetus  that  effectively 
disarmed  the  old-time  criticism  of  "  light  middles." 
From  the  Prince  of  Wales  line  has  come  Prince  of  Albion 
(6178),  said  to  be  the  highest-priced  two-year-old  draft 
horse  ever  sold,  up  to  this  time,  he  bringing  £3000.  He 


28  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

was,  in  turn,  the  sire  of  the  two-year-old  filly,  Queen  of  the 
Roses,  with  a  similar  record,  she  bringing  £1000.  Also, 
from  the  Prince  of  Wales  came  Cedric  (1087),  exported  to 
Scotland  from  the  stud  of  Col.  Robert  Holloway,  Alexis, 
Illinois,  one  of  the  leading  importers  of  Clydesdales  in 
America.  From  the  Darnley  line  have  come  MacGregor 
(1487),  McQueen  (3513),  Baron's  Pride  (9122)  (Fig.  4) 
and  his  son  Baron  o'  Buchlyvie,  the  highest  priced  stallion 
of  any  breed  ($47,500  at  auction)  and  sire  of  Bonnie  Buch- 
lyvie, sold  for  $25,000,  the  second  highest  price  on  record ; 
and  in  such  as  these  the  Clydesdale  breeders  secured  that 
combination  of  substance,  quality  and  action,  with  right 
set  of  legs,  for  which  they  had  striven  long  and  assidu- 
ously. Beginning  with  a  prototype  coarse  and  weighty, 
it  was  refined  without  loss  of  substance;  and  then  by 
concentrating  their  attention  successively  on  style, 
action,  set  of  legs,  slope  of  pasterns,  through  years  of 
criticism  and  discussion,  the  Clydesdale  of  to-day  emerges 
with  the  desired  characteristics  very  pronounced. 

23.  Purpose  in  the  breeding.  —  In  their  adherence 
to  quality,  meaning  thereby  texture  of  bone,  cleanness 
of  joints  and  fineness  of  skin  and  coat  and  feather,  the 
Scotch  breeders  made  no  mistake  in  so  improving  the 
breed  at  an  early  day,  for  it  has  not  only  added  to 
the  appearance  of  the  individuals,  to  free  them  from  the 
charge  of  grossness  of  joints  and  coarseness  of  bone,  but 
it  has  also  added  materially  to  their  durability  under 
the  strain  of  steady  service.  Fineness  of  feather  and 
sloping  pasterns  seemed  fine  fancy  points  to  the  unin- 
itiated, but  a  steady  demand  for  them  improved  the 
quality  of  the  Clydesdale  at  a  rapid  rate.  The  breeders 
previous  to  this  had  concentrated  on  action  with  a  zeal 
that  has  hardly  been  equaled  by  the  breeders  of  any 


THE  DRAFT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  29 

other  breed  of  horses.  The  demand  became  insistent 
for  action  in  show  and  breeding  stock,  and  the  result  is 
that,  in  the  possession  of  this  feature,  judged  from  a  purely 
mechanical  standpoint,  the  breed  has  made  marvelous 
progress.  The  action  required  had  to  be  straight,  regu- 
lar and  free,  both  at  the  walk  and  at  the  trot,  with  a  free 
flexion  of  the  knee,  a  springiness  to  the  pastern  and  a 
straight  and  close  passage  of  the  hocks.  In  the  effort 
to  secure  these  improvements,  the  Scotch  breeders  were 
very  ably  supported  by  the  American  breeders,  although 
the  latter  did  not  feel  like  going  so  far  in  the  securing  of 
quality  as  the  home  breeders.  It  is  very  likely  that  the 
latter  felt  misgivings  on  the  point,  for  there  is  no  doubt 
but  that  the  slight  infusion  of  Shire  blood,  which  was  made 
into  the  Clydesdale,  chiefly  through  the  use  of  Prince  of 
Wales  (673),  is,  to  some  degree,  evidence  that  they  wished 
to  regain  some  substance  and  weight,  which,  for  the  time 
being,  had  been  sacrificed  to  a  degree  for  quality. 

The  Clydesdale  breeders  ultimately  secured  what 
they  had  striven  for,  even  though  little  attention  has 
been  paid  to  the  American  dislike  for  splashes  of  white 
on  legs  or  body.  In  this  connection  it  may  be  given  as 
a  general  principle  that  while  it  is  well  to  bear  in  mind 
the  peculiar  requirements  of  any  trade,  yet  it  is  well  to 
be  careful  in  the  matter  of  humoring  any  fad  as  to  color 
or  any  other  fancy  point,  when  it  clashes  in  any  way  with 
real  essentials.  Having  secured  the  latter,  then  the 
question  of  markings  and  color  may  properly  be  allowed 
to  enter  as  a  substantial  factor.  Another  feature  is  that 
the  history  of  the  live-stock  trade  in  this  country  indi- 
cates that  to  cater  to  a  color,  especially  of  a  fad,  has  its 
dangers.  The  preference  for  red  among  Shorthorn  ad- 
mirers carried  to  the  point  of  a  prejudice  against  the  roan, 


30  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

has  reacted,  although  not  until  the  breed  had  suffered  as 
a  consequence.  The  Percheron  breeders  submerged  the 
old  gray  Percheron  and  gave  preference  to  the  more 
modern  black  in  answer  to  American  preference,  and 
now  that  the  demand  of  the  draft-horse  market  in  this 
country  is  said  to  place  a  premium  on  grays,  the  breeders 
will  have  to  swing  back  if  American  preference  is  to  be 
recognized.  Uniformity  of  color  and  attractive  markings 
are  admitted  by  every  one  to  be  desired,  and  the  Clydes- 
dale is  the  sufferer  for  bizarre  markings. 

24.  History    in    America.  —  The    first    importations 
were  made  into  Canada  in  1842,  when  Archibald  Ward 
of  Markham,  Ontario,  imported  Grey  Clyde,  78;    three 
years  later,  R.  Johnson,  of  Scarborough,    Ontario,  im- 
ported Sovereign,   181.     Other  importations  were  made 
into  Canada  in  1850-51-54.     About  twenty  years  later 
Clydesdales  were  imported  to  the  United  States,  both 
directly  from  Scotland  and  from  Canada  as  well.    The 
largest  importations  were  made  after  1880,  and  in  the 
following  twelve  years  many  thousands  of  both  sexes  were 
brought  to  America.    They  are  now  widely  distributed, 
and  generally  known  and  used. 

25.  Description.  —  Clydesdales  (Fig.  4)  have  a  kind, 
quiet  disposition,  good  courage,  and  enough  spirit.     A 
weight  of  1700  to  2000  pounds  for  stallions  and  1500  to 
1800  pounds  for  mares,  with  an  average  height  of  16^ 
hands  for  the  former  and  16  hands  for  the  latter,  may  be 
regarded  as  the  standard  for  mature,  well-developed  indi- 
viduals of  this  breed.     The  characteristics  of  the  modern 
Clydesdale,  in  reference  to  color,  vary  somewhat,  the  most 
prevalent  being  bay,  brown,  black  or  occasionally  chest- 
nut, with  white  markings  on  the  forehead  or  face  and 
below  the  knees  and  hocks.     They  vary  more  in  charac- 


THE  DRAFT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES 


31 


teristic  markings  than  most  of  the  other  draft  breeds, 
but  in  uniformity  of  type  there  is  a  striking  similarity 
among  the  best.  The  head  is  almost  invariably  intelli- 
gent. The  shoulder  is  exceptionally  good,  which  gives 
a  free,  easy,  long  stride.  It  is  somewhat  oblique,  accom- 
panied by  high  withers.  The  arm  is  usually  well  mus- 
cled, and  the  bone  clean  and  flat.  The  feather  (hair  on 
the  legs)  in  horses  of  the  best  quality  springs  from  the 
edge  of  the  cannon, 
and  is  fine,  silky 
and  long.  It  is  not 
considered  of  much 
importance  in  itself, 
but  is  valued  for 
what  it  indicates. 
The  assertion  is 
made  that  a  proper 
feather  protects  the 
coronet  and  back 
part  of  the  pastern 
from  filth  and  mud, 
and,  consequently,  is 
preventative  of  scratches.  It  has  often  been  objected  to 
in  America.  At  any  rate,  the  feather,  when  fine,  indi- 
cates that  the  other  tissues,  the  bone  and  skin,  are  also 
of  fine  texture.  Conversely,  when  the  feather  is  wiry  and 
coarse  and  curly  in  this  region,  it  surely  denotes  a  leg 
predisposed  to  grease  or  scratches.  The  pastern  and  feet 
have  been  vastly  improved  in  this  breed  in  recent  years, 
owing  to  the  demand  for  more  slope  and  length  in  the 
former  and  larger  hoof  heads  in  the  latter.  The  same  is 
true  to  a  degree  in  regard  to  the  coupling,  which  at  one 
time  was  considered  the  weakness  of  the  breed,  attribut- 


FIG.  4.  —  Clydesdale  stallion,  Baron's  Pride, 
leading  sire  of  the  breed. 


32  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

able  to  the  lack  of  depth  in  the  shorter  ribs.  Increasing 
the  depth  of  body  and  adding  to  the  length  of  the  hinder 
ribs  have  been  effective  in  lessening  the  prevalence  of  this 
criticism.  The  croup  of  the  Clydesdale  is  muscular,  and 
the  quarters  are  specially  well  developed.  The  set  of  the 
hocks  is  one  of  the  strong  points  of  the  breed.  A  properly 
set  hock  forecasts  pulling  power,  and  it  also  implies  free- 
dom from  curbs  and  from  coarseness,  due  to  thoroughpin 
or  bog  spavins.  With  the  web  of  the  hock  free  from  any 
filling,  the  latter  works  freer  and  stronger,  and  is  not 
predisposed  to  diseases;  and  such  a  hock  is  almost 
invariably  properly  set,  for  it  will  frequently  be  noticed 
that  it  is  the  bent  hock  that  is  more  "  meaty  "  and 
subject  to  bog  spavins  and  thoroughpins.  Properly  set 
hocks,  above  all  other  things,  insure  the  hock  action  which 
is  so  greatly  sought  in  Clydesdales.  To  bring  the  hocks 
well  under  the  body  and  not  to  spread  too  much  in  passing 
each  other  are  very  desirable  attributes,  and  these  are 
eminently  characteristic  of  the  Clydesdale's  hind  action. 
The  front  action  in  best  form  is  free,  snappy  and  folding 
at  the  knee,  chiefly  attributable  to  a  shoulder  of  correct 
slope,  and  springy  yet  strong  pasterns. 

26.  Uses  of  Clydesdales.  —  The  Clydesdale  is  essen- 
tially a  draft  horse,  bred  for  that  purpose  alone.  His 
free,  straight,  rapid  gait,  and  strong,  heavy  frame,  give 
him  high  rank  among  draft  breeds. 

Good  types  of  pure-bred  Clydesdales  on  native  draft 
mares  have  given  grades  with  considerable  snap  and 
power,  well  adapted  for  medium  draft  work  in  the  city 
and  on  the  farm. 

The  secretary  of  the  American  Clydesdale  Associa- 
tion has  reported  the  sale  of  four  draft  geldings,  largely 
of  Clydesdale  breeding,  on  the  Union  Stock  Yards  market 


THE  DRAFT  BREEDS   OF  HORSES 


33 


for  $3200,  to  Nelson  Morris  Company.  Sales  by  pri- 
vate treaty  are  not  reported  to  the  extent  that  auction 
sales  are,  but  this,  however,  is  considered  to  be  a  record 
price  on  the  Union  Stock  Yards  market.  It  is,  in  a 
degree,  an  index  to 
the  merit  attainable 
by  horses  of  this  ex- 
traction for  draft 
purposes. 

27.  Distribution.  — 
The  adaptability  of 
the  Clydesdale  has  led 
to  a  wider  distribution 
of  it  than  of  any  of 
the  other  draft  breeds. 
It  has  found  favor  in 
the  leading  English- 
speaking  countries, 
including,  in  addition 
to  the  United  States, 
Canada,  Australia  and  New  Zealand.  Argentina  has 
imported  many  of  the  best,  while  several  of  the  European 
nations,  notably  Germany,  Sweden  and  Russia,  have  been 
most  active  in  making  importations.  It  has  also  found 
its  way  into  South  Africa.  On  this  continent,  the  breed 
has  been  most  popular  in  Canada,  and  the  good  effects 
of  the  use  of  this  breed  in  grading  up  farm  mares  to  pro- 
duce drafters  serviceable  on  the  farm  and  marketable  on 
the  best  markets,  may  be  seen  on  almost  any  Canadian 
farm,  while  on  the  streets  of  the  large  Canadian  cities, 
such  as  Toronto,  Hamilton  and  Winnipeg,  the  teams 
attached  to  the  lorries,  showing  in  their  characteristics 
Clydesdale  breeding,  will  compare  favorably  with  others. 


FIG.  5.— A  Clydesdale  filly. 


34  TBE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

28.  Organizations  and  records.  —  In  1877,  the  Ameri- 
can Clydesdale  Horse  Association  was  formed  to  look 
after  the  interest  of  this  breed  in  America,  and  nearly 
19,000    registrations    have    been    entered.     The    Scotch 
Clydesdale  Horse  Society  was  organized  in  1878.     Each 
of  these  associations  issues  a  stud-book,  the  American 
Association    having    published    eighteen    volumes.    The 
headquarters   of  the   American  Association   are   in  the 
Union  Stock  Yards,  Chicago. 

SHIRE  HORSE.    Fig.  6. 
By  John  A.  Craig 

29.  The  Shire  horse  is  recognized  as  one  of  the  leading 
breeds  of  draft  horses.     The  best  type  is  specially  adapted 
for  breeding  the  heaviest  class  of  draft  horses,  suited  for 
slow  work,  when  weight  and  strength  are  prime  essentials. 
For  hauling  large  loads  on  lorries  through  crowded  city 
streets,  without  jerking  but  steadily  progressing,  weight 
and  strength  are  the  main  factors,  and  it  is  because  of  the 
possession  of  these  qualities  that  the  Shire  maintains  its 
position  as  a  draft  horse.     A  medium-weight  horse  may 
succeed  in  pulling  more  than  one  of  heavier  weight  if 
permitted  to  rush  at  it;    but  to  start  a  load  steadily 
and  keep  it  moving  slowly,   repeating  this  frequently, 
as  is  done  on  crowded  streets,  weight  must  supplement 
strength.     Herein  lies  the  reason  for  the  popularity  of 
the  Shire  for  drayage   purposes   in   England,  where   it 
originated. 

30.  History  in  Great  Britain.  —  The  Shire  is  considered 
to  be  descended  from  the  old  war  horse  of  Great  Britain 
and  has  been  referred  to  as  the  War  horse  and  the  Great 


TEE  DRAFT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES       35 

horse  in  Great  Britain.  It  is  reported  of  Caesar,  that 
when  he  invaded  Great  Britain,  55  B.C.,  he  was  impressed 
with  the  excellence  of  the  horses  that  were  attached  to 
the  war  chariots  of  the  Britons.  The  breed  attained  its 
greatest  development  in  the  lowlands  of  England,  in 
Lincolnshire  and  Cambridgeshire  especially.  Other  near- 
by counties  contributed  more  or  less  to  the  development 
of  the  breed.  In  early  tunes,  heavy  active  horses  were  in 
greatest  demand  for  war  purposes,  and  this  led  to  the 
importation  of  heavy  horses  from  Flanders  and  Normandy. 
Large  importations  of  the  heavy  Black  horses  of  Flan- 
ders were  made  as  early  as  the  eleventh  century,  and  in 
succeeding  years  during  the  reigns  of  King  John,  Edward 
II  and  Henry  VIII.  One  of  the  early  improvers  of  the 
Shire  was  Robert  Bakewell,  who  introduced  blood  of 
imported  Holland  mares  in  his  breeding  efforts.  The 
development  of  the  breed  received  much  impetus  in  1878, 
when  the  English  Cart  Horse  Society  was  formed.  The 
name  of  the  society  was  due  to  the  fact  that  the  Shire 
was  known  primarily  as  a.  cart  horse. 

The  history  of  the  Shire  shows  a  slow  but  persistent 
development  of  an  improved  type  through  a  great  space 
of  time.  The  improvement  of  action  and  quality  have 
received  most  attention  from  the  breeders,  and  the  results, 
as  shown  in  a  modern  Shire,  have  been  marked. 

31.  History  in  America.  —  The  progress  of  the  Shire  in 
America  has  been  substantial  but  yet  not  so  rapid  as 
might  be  expected,  considering  the  decided  merits  of 
the  breed.  This,  in  a  measure,  has  resulted  from  the 
dislike  of  the  American  trade  for  hairy-legged  horses 
deficient  in  quality.  It  seems  that  hairy  legs  are  more  or 
less  characteristic  of  all  heavy  breeds  of  horses  reared 
in  low  countries,  and  they  have  been  a  breed  character- 


36  THE  BEEEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

istic  of  the  Shire  since  its  inception.  At  a  very  early 
time  the  hair  was  very  abundant,  and  the  writer  has  seen 
some  of  the  old-time  Shires  with  even  the  lock  of  hair 
growing  from  the  region  of  the  knee  in  front,  and  other 
locks  growing  from  near  the  point  of  the  hock.  Coarse- 
ness and  unusual  profusion  of  hair  indicate  too  much 
grossness  of  organization,  although  a  fine  feather  finishes 
a  heavy-bodied  horse  at  the  ground  in  a  way  that  is 
usually  pleasing  to  the  eye.  The  first  Shires  to  come  to 
America  showed  these  characteristics  to  an  extreme 
degree,  and  the  prejudice  of  the  American  trade  has  not 
in  any  degree  abated  with  time.  The  first  importation 
to  reach  America  was  in  1836,  and  was  made  to  London, 
Ontario,  Canada.  The  first  Shires  to  come  to  the  United 
States  were  imported  in  1853,  and  taken  to  Aurora,  Illi- 
nois. The  importations  since  then  have  been  mostly 
into  the  states  of  Illinois  and  Iowa,  and  at  no  time  have 
been  numerous,  except,  perhaps,  between  1880  and  1890. 
32.  Description.  —  In  general  characters,  this  breed  is 
very  like  the  Clydesdale,  beingx  perhaps,  a  little  shorter  in 
the  legs,  and  slightly  larger  (Fig.  6).  The  common  colors 
are  bay,  brown  or  black,  with  white  markings  on  the  face 
and  on  the  legs  below  the  knees  and  hocks.  Other  colors 
are  found  but  are  not  common.  In  conformation,  the 
Shire  is  generally  low,  broad  and  stout,  being  heavy  in 
build  and  slow  in  movement.  The  shoulder  is  likely  to 
be  too  straight,  making  the  action  in  front  short  and 
stilted,  although  it  is  generally  considered  that  more 
power  in  the  collar  compensates  for  the  deficiency  in 
action.  The  body  of  the  typical  Shire  is  of  large  girth, 
deep  and  strongly  coupled,  with  broad  back.  The  quar- 
ters are  heavily  muscled  in  the  best  type.  Owing  to  their 
weight,  it  is  to  be  expected  that  some  of  them  are  subject 


THE  DRAFT  BREEDS   OF  HORSES 


37 


to  the  criticism  of  being  deficient  in  quality  and  too  slug- 
gish in  temperament.  In  general,  they  may  be  considered 
to  be  of  heavier  weight  than  the  Clydesdale,  although 
the  difference  is  not  likely  to  be  great  between  represen- 
tative animals,  as  the  following  weights  and  measure- 
ments of  two  prize- 
winners will  indicate : 
Vulcan  (4145),  a  Shire 
stallion  that  was 
champion  at  the 
London  Shire  Show, 
in  1889  and  1891, 
when  eight  years  old 
weighed  2240  pounds 
in  show  condition ; 
height,  17  hands; 
girth,  8  feet  7  inches; 
around  fore-arm,  2 
feet  7  inches;  around 
bone  below  knee,  12 
inches.  Flashwood 
(3604),  a  Clydesdale  FIG.  6. -Shire  stallion, 

stallion  that  was  first 

at  the  Glasgow  Spring  Stallion  Show,  in  the  same  years 
and  months  that  Vulcan  was  first-prize  stallion  at  the 
London  show,  and  at  the  same  age  (eight  years),  weighed 
2240  pounds;  height,  17  hands;  girth,  8  feet;  around 
fore-arm,  20  inches;  around  bone  below  knee,  11  inches; 
above  hock,  21^  inches ;  and  below  hock,  12  J  inches.  In 
the  best  types  the  legs  are  strong,  bone  flat  with  a 
"  feather  "  of  fine  hair  on  the  rear  of  the  cannons,  below 
the  knees  and  hocks.  The  feet  are  large  and  somewhat 
flatter  at  the  heel  than  is  desired. 


38  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

33.  Uses  of  Shires.  —  Like  the  Clydesdale,  the  Shire 
is  a  heavy  draft  horse,  slow-moving  but  sure  and  steady, 
and  makes  no  claims  for  other  uses,  except  for  crossing 
on  native  draft  stock  and  for  improving  other  breeds 
with  an  injection  of  its  blood. 

The  use  of  the  Shire  has  been  an  important  factor  in 
improving  our  horse  stock  for  draft  purposes,  as  attested 
by  the  extent  to  which  the  best  drafters  of  our  modern 
markets  have  Shire  blood  on  the  maternal  side.  The 
Shire  is  credited  with  having  produced  the  highest-priced 
gelding  that  has  been  sold  by  auction  on  the  Chicago 
market,  and  many  more  of  the  best  have  traced  to  Shire 
blood  on  the  side  of  their  dams.  Dr.  Alexander  is  author- 
ity for  the  statement  that  a  grade  Shire  gelding,  weighing 
2210  pounds,  sold  for  $660  on  the  Chicago  market  in 
1904,  which  is  the  highest  price  paid  on  that  market  that 
has  been  reported.  Our  breeding  stock  have  surely  not 
suffered  because  of  the  use  of  Shire  blood,  and  there  is  a 
feeling  that  if  the  Shire  had  been  more  liberally  used  our 
breeding  mares  would  more  surely  produce  the  highest- 
selling  class  of  drafters.  It  remains  to  be  said  that  the 
use  of  the  Shire  in  draft-breeding  to  such  a  limited  extent 
may  be  due  in  a  measure  to  the  fact  that  the  source  of 
supply  for  importation  is  not  so  large  as  that  of  some  other 
continental  breeds ;  and  furthermore,  it  is  difficult  to  in- 
duce home-breeders  to  part  with  their  very  best  types,  so 
much  desired  in  their  native  land  for  breeding  purposes. 

34.  Distribution.  —  This    breed    enjoys   much    popu- 
larity in  England,  as  indicated  by  its  prominence  in  horse 
shows.     From  there  it  has  spread  into  most  other  English- 
speaking  countries.     Germany,  Australia  and  Argentina 
have  made  importations.     In  America,  it  is  most  popu- 
lar in  the  north-central  states. 


THE  DRAFT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES       39 

35.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  first  organiza- 
tion to  care  for  the  interests  of  this  breed  in  England  was 
the  English  Cart  Horse  Society,  organized  in  1878. 
Six  years  later  it  changed  its  name  to  the  Shire  Horse 
Society.  It  undertook  the  publication  of  a  stud-book. 
The  American  Shire  Horse  Association,  with  headquarters 
at  Wenona,  Illinois,  was  established  in  1885.  It  has 
published  nine  volumes  registering  15,800  Shires. 

Literature.  — Sir  Walter  Gilbey,  The  Great  Horse:  The  Shire, 
London  (1899) ;  same,  The  Old  English  War  Horse,  London  (1888). 


SUFFOLK  HORSE.    Figs.  7,  8. 
By  John  A .  Craig 

36.  This    breed    of    draft    horses,    sometimes    called 
"  Suffolk   Punch  ",  has   not    become   so  widely  known 
as  other  European  breeds,   such  as  the  Clydesdale    or 
Percheron.     It    cannot    be  said    to    be    as   popular   as 
either  of   these   two   breeds,  yet   it   has   many  ardent 
admirers.      It    is    bred    in    greatest    numbers    in    its 
native  district  of  Suffolk  county,  in  the  eastern  part  of 
England.     It  gets  its  name  from  the  county  and  from  the 
round,   full-made   type  of  body  that   characterizes  the 
breed. 

37.  History  in  Great  Britain.  —  The  Suffolk  can  trace 
its  history  back  to  the  dawning  of  the  eighteenth  century, 
and  as  early  as  1851  it  carried  off  most  of  the  prizes  for 
draft  horses  at  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  Show,  at 
Windsor.     At  that  time  it  had  a  distinct  lead  over  other 
British  draft  breeds,  but  it  seemed  to  be  content  with 
home  popularity.      Volume  1  of  the  Suffolk  Stud-book 


40  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

is  an  exceptionally  elaborate  and  interesting  compilation 
of  the  early  history  of  the  breed  and  should  be  consulted. 
Mention  should  be  made  here,  however,  of  the  so-called 
"  foundation  "  horse  of  the  breed  —  the  Crisp  horse, 
foaled  in  1768,  and  owned  by  a  man  of  that  name  residing 
in  Sussex.  His  blood  has  been  carefully  preserved,  and 
only  horses  that  are  traceable  to  him  are  eligible  for  regis- 
tration in  the  Suffolk  Stud-book.  Outside  blood  was 
introduced  in  an  effort  to  improve  the  Suffolk,  but  it  had 
little  effect.  Docility,  prolificacy  and  length  of  life  char- 
acterize this  breed.  These  horses  have  been  much  im- 
proved in  the  last  thirty  years. 

38.  History  in  America.  —  Although  it  was  first  im- 
ported to  the  United  States  in  1880,  by  Powell  Brothers, 
of  Pennsylvania,  yet  the  progress  of  the  breed  does  not 
seem  to  be  at  all  commensurate  with  its  merit.     The 
importations  have  been  very  slow  and  very  small.     In 
1888,  Peter  Hopley  &  Co.,  of  Iowa,  and  Galbraith  Brothers, 
of  Wisconsin,  made  importations,  and  these  parties  have 
since  been  the  leading  exponents  of  the  breed  in  this 
country.     A  large  importation  is  reported  as  having  been 
made  in  1903.     Some  other  importations  have  been  made 
since,  to  Virginia  and  Texas. 

39.  Description.  —  The  Suffolk  is  about  sixteen  and 
one-half  hands  high,   and   weighs  about  two  thousand 
pounds  (Figs.  7,  8).     The  color  is  exceptionally  uniform, 
and  it  is  generally  some  shade  of  chestnut.1     Breeders  have 
long  adhered  closely  to  a  chestnut  color.     In  general  type, 
it  is  a  low-set,  short-legged,  deep-bodied,  muscular  horse, 
with  clean  bone  and  durable  feet.     The  feet  were  once 


1  Inasmuch  as  chestnut  has  been  demonstrated  to  be  a  recessive 
Mendelian  character,  the  uniformly  chestnut  color  of  the  Suffolk  is 
otherwise  accounted  for  than  by  the  prepotency  of  the  original  Crisp  horse. 


THE  DRAFT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES 


41 


much  criticized  because  of  their  flatness  and  brittleness, 
but  have  undergone  great  improvement  in  these  respects. 
The  head  is  clean-cut,  with  small  ear,  full  forehead,  and 
a  more  or  less  Roman  nose.  The  neck  is  full,  with  a  very 
strong  crest,  as  a  rule,  in  stallions.  Too  much  thickness 
in  the  throat-latch  sometimes  results  from  undue  coarse- 
ness of  the  neck.  The  shouldeT  shows  good  length  and 
is  of  true  draft  form,  not  being  too  oblique.  The  chest 
is  deep,  wide  and 
molded  with  muscle. 
The  body  or  barrel, 
one  of  the  leading 
points  of  merit  in  this 
breed,  is  deep,  round- 
ribbed,  and  specially 
well  let  down  in  the 
hind  flank.  This  un- 
doubtedly contributes 
to  the  strength  of  the 
assertion  that  the  Suf- 
folk is  an  easy  keeper,  and  of  unusual  endurance.  The 
legs,  devoid  of  long  hair,  are  clean-cut,  cordy  and  well 
muscled  at  the  arms  and  thighs.  The  degree  to  which 
the  Suffolk  is  muscled  in  the  hind-quarters,  and  especially 
in  the  lower  thighs,  is  one  of  the  special  features  of  the 
breed.  Pulling  contests  at  an  early  time  were  common 
among  the  adherents  of  the  breed,  and  it  is  said  that  the 
ultimate  outcome  of  these  has  been  to  develop  the  muscles 
of  the  thigh  and  the  quarter  much  beyond  what  is  com- 
monly observed  in  the  representatives  of  the  draft  breeds. 
The  seeming  lightness  of  limb,  compared  with  the  depth 
and  weight  of  body,  and  fullness  of  neck,  has,  in  many 
cases,  given  the  Suffolk  an  appearance  of  being  greatly 


FIG.  7.  —  Suffolk  stallion. 


42 


THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 


lacking  in  the  proper  proportion  of  such  parts.  It  is  a 
free  mover,  and  this,  with  its  somewhat  lighter  weight, 
easy  keeping  and  docile  disposition,  peculiarly  adapts  it 
for  farm  work,  express-wagon  work  and  drayage  purposes, 
where  a  certain  amount  of  weight  may  be  sacrificed  for 
activity  and  durability.  Individually  and,  to  a  remark- 
able degree,  collectively,  the  Suffolk  is  a  superior  model 
of  the  draft  horse. 

40.  Uses  of  the  Suffolk.  —  The  Suffolk  ranks  well  as  a 
medium  draft  horse  because  of  its  free  action  and  endur- 
ance.    As  an  agricul- 
tural horse  and  as  an 
express-wagon    horse, 
the  Suffolk    grade    is 
superior,   while    those 
individuals  that  meet 
the    requirements    as 
to  weight  can  hardly 
be  improved   for  the 
heavier  draft  purposes. 

The  popularity  of 
the  Suffolk  in  this 
country  has  been  held 

in  check  by  the  fact  that  it  does  not  make  so  heavy  a 
cross  on  the  lighter  native  mares  as  the  weightier  repre- 
sentatives of  the  other  draft  breeds.  Against  this  is  the 
counter  claim  that  it  is  very  desirable  for  crossing  on  range 
mares,  for  the  well-known  even  temper  and  docility  of 
the  Suffolk  is  a  valuable  attribute  to  graft  on  to  such 
parent  stock. 

41.  Distribution.  —  This  breed  has  found  favor  in  a 
number  of  countries  aside  from  the  United  States  and 
Canada,  and  is  represented  in  Spain,  France,  Germany, 


FIG.  8.  —  Suffolk  mare. 


THE  DRAFT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  43 

Austria,  Russia  and  Sweden  on  the  continent,  Australia, 
South  and  North  Africa,  New  Zealand,  Argentina  and 
other  countries;  and  it  has  been  the  self-evident  merit 
of  the  breed  that  has  been  the  cause  of  this  wide  distri- 
bution. The  breed  has  suffered,  in  America,  particularly, 
because  of  the  need  of  more  freely  distributed  informa- 
tion regarding  its  good  qualities. 

42.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  Suffolk  Stud- 
book  Society  is  the  publisher  of  the  stud-book  for  the  breed 
in  England.  The  first  volume  was  published  in  1880. 
The  breed  is  represented  on  this  continent  by  the  Ameri- 
can Suffolk  Horse  Association,  with  headquarters  at 
De  Kalb,  Illinois.  The  first  volume  of  the  stud-book  of 
the  latter  association  was  published  in  1907,  and  a  second 
has  since  appeared  with  a  total  of  nine  hundred  eight 
registrations. 


CHAPTER  II 
THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES 

THE  form  peculiar  to  all  heavy-harness  horses  is  close 
and  full  made,  with  a  high  degree  of  finish  and  a  stylish, 
flashy  way  of  going,  characterized  by  extreme  knee  and 
hock  action.  He  is  the  horse  of  fashion,  utilized  for  show 
and  park  purposes  almost  exclusively. 

The  term  "  heavy  harness  "  applied  to  horses  is  fre- 
quently misunderstood  and  horses  so  designated  are  com- 
monly confused  with  drafters.  The  origin  of  the  term  is 
clear  if  three  divisions  of  horses  are  recognized  —  work,  har- 
ness and  saddle.  Harness  horses  are  further  subdivided 
into  heavy  and  light  according  to  the  style  of  vehicle  to 
which  they  are  put  and  the  consequent  weight  of  leather 
which  they  are  required  to  wear. 

HACKNEY  HORSE.    Plate  III.    Fig.  9. 
By  John  A.  Craig 

43.  The  present-day  Hackney  is  a  harness  horse 
breed.  Among  the  early  English  writers  on  subjects 
relating  to  the  horse,  the  word  "  hackney  "  was  appar- 
ently used  frequently  as  a  synonym  for  roadster.  The 
word  occurs  in  the  earliest  English,  but  its  meaning,  or 
rather  the  class  of  horse  that  it  was  applied  to,  is  not 
made  clear.  Mr.  Euren,  the  secretary  of  the  English 
Hackney  Horse  Society,  states  that  the  Normans,  at  the 
time  of  their  invasion,  introduced  the  word  haquenee  or 

44 


PLATE  III.  — Breed  Types  of  Horses. 


HACKNEY  MARES. 


w     »• 


AMERICAN  SADDLE  HORSE. 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES      45 

hacquenee,  which  he  states  was  recognized  as  far  back  as 
the  year  1303.  Chaucer  also  used  the  word  "  hakeney  " 
or  "  hacknay,"  but  does  not  give  any  clue  as  to  the  class 
of  horse  referred  to.  Cully,  an  early  English  writer  on 
live-stock  subjects,  does  not  mention  the  Hackney.  Law- 
rence, however,  in  some  of  his  writings,  gives  us  an  inkling 
as  to  its  application,  and,  as  stated,  it  meant  a  roadster. 

44.  Origin.  —  The  development  of  the  Hackney  into 
a  breed  may  be  traced  to  definite  stimuli,  which  have  been 
noticeable  and  in  operation  with  more  or  less  force  in  the 
development  of  several  other  breeds  of  horses.  In  the 
evolution  of  the  breeds  of  light  horses,  there  may  be  said 
to  be  a  district  suitable  for  rearing  light  horses  of  quality, 
which  implies  a  soil  well-drained,  either  light,  hilly  or 
underlaid  with  limestone,  with  good  grass,  all  of  which 
should  indicate  wholesome  grazing  conditions.  With  these 
associate  men  who  love  a  horse,  and  let  them  be  inspired 
with  a  definite  aim,  and  the  breed  takes  form  and  becomes 
popular  according  to  the  force  and  growth  of  the  demand 
and  ideals.  A  variety  of  sources  are  invariably  drawn  on, 
frequently  very  diverse  in  some  attributes,  but  somewhat 
similar  in  the  breed  characteristics  desired ;  and,  these  once 
secured,  the  aim  becomes  to  concentrate  and  multiply  them. 

With  these  general  conditions  in  view,  let  us  bring  their 
particular  application  to  the  Hackney.  As  bearing  on 
this,  and  also  to  show  that  these  factors  were  recognized 
by  horsemen  at  a  very  early  day,  a  quotation  from  I-aw- 
rence  will  suffice :  "  Light  soils  and  a  hilly  surface  of 
ground  generally  produce  clean,  vigorous  and  active 
horses,  and  probably  there  is  no  county  in  England  where 
a  better  sort  are  bred  than  in  Shropshire.  Yorkshire  and 
Lincolnshire  are  celebrated  for  carriage  horses,  and  many 
very  good  ones  are  reared  in  those  districts."  Yorkshire 


46  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

and  Norfolk  were  the  original  home  of  the  Hackney,  at 
an  early  time  known  also  as  the  Norfolk  trotter;  and 
Yorkshire  became  prominent  in  the  development  of  this 
breed,  through  its  adaptability  to  light  horses  and  supe- 
riority over  the  counties  of  Shropshire  and  Lincoln- 
shire in  that  the  Yorkshireman  was  an  enthusiastic  horse- 
man. To  carry  the  postulate  to  its  full  and  more 
recent  application,  it  is  necessary  only  to  direct  attention 
to  what  Kentucky,  Vermont,  Virginia,  Tennessee  and 
other  states  possessing  the  character  of  soil  and  people 
referred  to,  have  accomplished.  Conversely,  apply  what 
has  been  stated  to  be  the  evolution  of  draft  breeds,  and 
it  will  be  apparent  that  the  heaviest  breeds  of  draft 
horses  come  from  the  lower  and  more  level  lands,  with 
their  more  lush  vegetation. 

45.  Breeding  saddle  horses.  —  Continuing  our  refer- 
ence to  Yorkshire  and  Norfolk,  it  should  be  said  that  the 
demand  during  the  earliest  time  was  for  a  horse  that  could 
trot  fast  under  saddle,  and  the  horsemen  of  these  two 
counties  vigorously  took  up  the  work  of  breeding  a  stoutly 
built  fast  trotting  horse  of  as  much  endurance  as  possible. 
It  is  said  (Wallace,  Live-Stock)  that  the  Norwegian  horse 
was  used  at  a  very  early  day  on  the  common  mares  of 
these  counties,  as  it  was  in  Norfolk  and  Yorkshire  where 
the  Norse  invaders  had  their  principal  strongholds  in  Eng- 
land. The  influence  of  this  on  the  breed  may  be  slighted 
when  the  more  potent  influence  of  the  Thoroughbred  is 
considered.  It  is  also  of  interest  to  mention  that  even 
the  blood  of  the  Standardbred  trotter  found  its  way  into 
some  of  the  Hackney  pedigrees  through  Shepherd  F. 
Knapp,  No.  282  in  the  register  of  Standardbred  horses. 
The  main  source  of  the  Hackney  blood  lines  runs  back  to 
Arabian  origin  through  the  Thoroughbred,  being  similar 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES      4? 

in  this  respect  to  all  the  other  breeds  of  light  horses. 
Since  the  eighteenth  century,  the  breed  has  been  under- 
going evolution,  and  it  may  be  said  to  have  had  its  in- 
ception with  Shales  (699),  variously  called  "The  Orig- 
inal," "  Old  Shales,"  and  so  on.  This  horse,  in  the  history 
of  the  Hackney  or  Norfolk  trotter,  stands  in  relation  to 
the  breed  very  much  as  Hambletonian  10  does  in  that  of 
the  Standardbred  horse  or  American  trotter;  and, 
curiously  enough,  their  breeding  is  of  surprising  similarity. 
Shales  (699)  was  sired  by  Blaze,  a  Thoroughbred  horse, 
foaled  in  1733.  It  is  said  that  Blaze  was  not  a  Thorough- 
bred, but  the  best  evidence  we  have  credits  him  with 
being  about  as  much  so  as  any  other  horse  of  that  early 
day.  Blaze  was  by  Flying  Childers  (a  noted  running 
horse),  by  the  Barley  Arabian.  The  dam  of  Blaze  is 
asserted  to  have  been  by  Grey  Grantham,  by  Brownlow 
Turk  out  of  a  mare  by  the  Duke  of  Rutland's  Black 
Barb.  Now  the  same  Blaze  sired  Sampson,  the  sire  of 
Engineer,  he  the  sire  of  Mambrino,  and  he,  in  turn,  the 
sire  of  Messenger,  which  was  imported  to  America  and 
was  the  grandsire  of  Hambletonian  10.  Again,  the  dam 
of  Hambletonian  10  was  the  Charles  Kent  mare  by  Im- 
ported Bellfounder,  a  Norfolk  trotter  tracing  back  through 
the  Fireaways  to  Driver,  a  son  of  Shales  by  Blaze.  The 
dam  of  the  Kent  mare  was  One  Eye,  by  Bishop's  Ham- 
bletonian, a  son  of  Messenger.  Yet  again,  Mambrino 
Chief  was  by  Mambrino  Paymaster,  by  Mambrino,  by 
Messenger.  So  we  have  the  two  great  lines  of  the  Ameri- 
can trotter,  Hambletonian  10  and  Mambrino  Chief  11, 
tracing  back  through  Messenger  to  Blaze,  and  the  most 
noted  of  the  early  sires  of  Hackneys  or  the  Norfolk  trotters 
going  back  to  the  same  Blaze.  May  it  not  be  reasonable 
to  assume  from  these  facts  that  the  latter  horse  orig- 


48  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

inated  the  trotting  instinct,  which  has  later  developed 
into  a  breed  characteristic?  Following  the  development 
of  the  Hackney,  we  find  that  Shales  (699),  considered  the 
most  famous  trotter  of  his  day  in  England,  sired  Driver 
(187)  and  Scott's  Shales  (692),  and,  according  to  the 
statement  of  a  writer  of  authority,  "  to  the  former  of  these 
horses  many  —  very  many  —  of  the  best  Hackneys  of 
the  day  owe  their  origin."  For  example,  Philip  Triffitt's 
great  sire,  Fireaway,  was  by  Achilles,  by  Achilles  (Hair- 
sines'),  by  Fireaway  (Scott's),  who  was  got  by  Fireaway 
(Ramsdale's),  by  „  Fireaway  (Burgess'),  by  Fireaway 
(West's),  by  Fireaway  (Jenkinson's),  a  son  of  Driver. 
It  may  be  interesting  to  state  here  that  John  A.  Logan 
is  authority  for  the  statement  that  the  stock  of  Triffitt's 
Fireaway  has  sold  to  the  amount  of  $2,500,000,  which  is 
somewhat  of  an  index  to  the  value  of  this  horse  to  the 
breed. 

Mention  of  other  noted  sires  should  include  Denmark 
(177),  sire  of  Danegelt;  Lord  Derby  II  (417),  sire  of 
Cadet,  1251 ;  Confidence  (158),  sire  of  the  Champion 
and  Reality  (665) ;  and  Rufus,  'an  Elsenham  Challenge 
cup  winner  and  a  noted  progenitor  of  Hackney  character. 

46.  Breeding  for  driving.  —  With  the  change  from  use 
under  the  saddle  to  driving  on  the  road  attached  to  a 
vehicle,  the  Hackney's  proclivities  to  trot  do  not  seem  to 
have  undergone  any  modification;  although  there  was  a 
tendency  at  this  time  toward  refinement  of  the  type,  largely 
through  the  greater  infusion  of  Thoroughbred  blood. 
This  also  added  to  the  height  without  changing  the  form 
much,  except  to  add  some  to  the  straightness  of  the 
croup.  Up  to  this  time,  and  since,  considerable  evidence 
had  been  accumulating  to  indicate  that  the  Hackney 
possessed  more  than  ordinary  excellence  for  long-dis- 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES      49 

tance  trotting.  Such  records,  it  remains  to  be  said,  are 
of  use  only  to  enable  us  to  understand  the  original  char- 
acteristics of  the  breed,  not  for  their  official  value  to  es- 
tablish the  reputation  of  the  Hackney  of  the  present  day, 
for  speed  at  the  trot,  for  either  long  or  short  distances. 
It  is  to  be  remembered,  also,  that  these  records,  if  they 
may  be  called  such,  are  in  nearly  all  instances  dependent 
on  hearsay  and  not  on  official  trials  over  measured  dis- 
tances. It  is  said  that  Driver  (187),  already  referred  to, 
trotted  17  miles  within  the  hour,  and  Fireaway  is  credited 
with  having  trotted  2  miles  in  5  minutes.  The  perform- 
ance that  is  most  noteworthy  is  that  credited  to  the  mare 
Phenomena,  that  in  July,  1800,  trotted  17  miles  in  56 
minutes,  and  shortly  afterward  repeated  the  same  per- 
formance in  53  minutes.  Attention  has  been  drawn  to 
the  fact  that  it  was  not  until  1849  that  Trustee,  in  America, 
trotted  20  miles  in  59  minutes  and  35|  seconds.  The 
mare's  rate  would  be  20  miles  in  62|  minutes,  showing 
that  at  that  early  day  the  Hackney  or  Norfolk  trotter 
was  noted  for  ability  to  trot  long  distances,  with  speed 
unusual  at  that  time. 

The  secretary  of  the  Hackney  Horse  Society,  Mr. 
Euren,  in  the  first  volume  of  the  stud-book,  credits  the 
era  of  railroad  building  with  dampening  the  ardor  of  the 
breeders  of  Hackneys ;  and,  for  a  time,  the  breed  did  not 
receive  much  hearty  support.  A  revival  came  in  a  very 
decided  manner  with  the  advent  of  exhibitions,  and 
especially  with  the  inauguration  of  horse-shows.  Until 
the  breed  began  to  attract  notice  for  heavy-harness  and 
high-stepping  purposes,  they  were  not  very  largely  im- 
ported from  England,  nor  did  they  attain  their  present 
popularity  in  England.  It  was  in  the  spring  of  1893  that 
the  first  notable  Hackney  exhibition  was  held  in  England. 


50  THE  BEEEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

In  America,  the  horse-shows,  the  growth  of  recent  years, 
as  distinct  from  the  usual  live-stock  shows,  were  factors 
that  did  more  to  popularize  the  Hackney  than  any  other 
influences.  The  high-lifting  action  of  the  Hackney, 
both  fore  and  aft,  made  a  very  attractive  feature  of  the 
shows;  and  that,  coupled  with  the  growth  of  the  high- 
stepping  fad,  gave  the  breed  a  strong  impetus,  although 
their  genuine  merit  as  heavy-harness  horses  has  outlived 
this.  The  possession  of  stoutness  of  form  with  this 
action  has  adapted  them  particularly  for  heavy  harness 
and  heavy  vehicles. 

47.  History  in  America.  —  Aside  from  the  first  im- 
portation to  America  of  Bellfounder  (55),  in  1822,  by 
James  Booth,  of  Boston,  the  next  importation  of  note  was 
the  stallion  Fordham,  a  son  of  Denmark,  brought  over  in 
1881,  by  Hillhurst  Stock  Farm,  of  which  Senator  Cochrane, 
of  Quebec,  Canada,  was  proprietor.  Then  comes  the 
era  of  the  horse-show,  when  extensive  importations  were 
made,  chiefly  into  the  New  England  states  and  Canada, 
with  scattering  importations  into  Ohio,  Wisconsin,  and 
other  states.  The  largest  of  these  importations  was 
made  in  1890  by  Seward  Webb,  of  Vermont,  who  imported 
thirty-one  horses,  four  of  which  were  stallions.  About 
this  time,  there  was  a  lull  in  the  profitableness  of  breeding 
Standardbred  trotters,  which  put  many  horses  of  this 
breeding  on  the  market  that  otherwise  would  have  been 
retained  in  the  breeding  stud.  Attention  was  drawn  to 
the  fact  that  many  horses  of  Standardbred  trotting  lines 
were  competing  with  the  Hackney,  especially  in  the  high- 
stepping  classes,  in  the  show-ring.  They  were  more  or 
less  freaks,  with  the  high  stepping  exaggerated  by  heavy 
shoeing  and  training,  but  they  sometimes  made  a  more 
popular  show  than  the  Hackney,  by  being  able  to  go 


THE  HEAVT-HAENE8S  BEEEDS  OF  HORSES      51 

fast  as  well  as  high.  There  was  little  inclination  among 
exhibitors  at  that  time  to  stop  and  consider  that  fast 
going  was  not  a  much  sought  after  characteristic  for  a 
high-stepping  or  a  heavy-harness  horse.  A  lessening  of 
the  interest  in  the  mere  high  goer,  and  more  attention  to 
the  trueness  and  serviceability  of  the  action,  has  done 
good  in  recent  years;  and  the  outcome  has  been  to 
strengthen  the  position  of  the  Hackney  and  make  it  more 
decidedly  a  heavy-harness  horse. 

48.  Description.  —  The  Hackney  of  true  type  is  a 
horse  of  substance,  extremely  smooth  and  with  gracefully 
curved  outlines  (Fig.  9).  Being  full  made,  owing  to 
splendid  muscular  de- 
velopment, and  being 
on  short  legs,  the  rep- 
resentative of  this 
breed  suffers  in  stat- 
ure in  comparison 
with  most  of  the  other 
coach  breeds.  The 
type  most  sought,  and 
the  one  that  may  be 
said  to  be  the  old- 
fashioned  type,  repre- 
sents a  powerfully 

J  FIG.  9.  —  Hackney  stallion. 

built  horse,  round- 
ribbed,  muscular  loin,  and  plump  quarters,  with  short  legs. 
The  desire  for  more  quality  on  the  part  of  some  of  the 
breeders,  and  the  use  of  Thoroughbred  blood  to  secure  it, 
had  the  effect  of  making  some  of  them  more  bloodlike  and 
rangier  in  appearance.  The  question  of  height  in  the 
Hackney  has  been  liberally  discussed,  and  the  general 
belief  is  that  a  height  of  15.2  to  16  hands  is  most  com- 


52  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

patible  with  the  other  features  of  the  type  that  are  de- 
sired. It  might  be  mentioned  that  until  recent  years  the 
Hackney  rings  at  the  exhibitions  of  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  of  England  were  open  only  to  horses  not  exceeding 
15.2  hands  in  height.  So  many  of  the  noted  sires  of  later 
years  have  been  over  that  height,  that  it  was  not  advisable 
to  enforce  the  restriction,  and  consequently  it  was  re- 
moved. A  well-known  writer  states  that  it  is  somewhat 
remarkable  to  note  that  most  of  the  successful  stallions, 
both  as  sires  and  exhibition  horses,  of  the  present  and 
past  generations,  have  stood  15.2  hands  high. 

For  a  horse  of  such  substance,  the  Hackney  is  not 
deficient  in  quality,  although  to  combine  the  two  in  a 
right  degree  is  as  much  a  problem  with  the  Hackney 
breeders  as  it  is  with  the  breeders  of  the  other  breeds  of 
coach  horses.  Substance,  meaning  thereby  muscular  de- 
velopment and  size  of  bone,  is  easily  enough  secured ; 
but  to  have  with  it  the  refinement  of  features  and  tissues, 
with  fluted  legs,  which  makes  up  quality,  is  a  combination 
of  the  highest  excellencies.  x 

Such  being  the  general  form,  a  more  careful  analysis 
of  the  several  features  that  blend  into  the  type  desired 
is  necessary  to  fill  out  the  details  of  the  true  type.  The 
Hackney  head  sometimes  approaches  meatiness,  but,  as 
a  rule,  it  is  well  proportioned  to  the  body,  clean-cut,  with 
full  eyes  and  specially  alert  and  medium-sized  ears.  It 
has  been  criticized  for  a  tendency  towards  being  "  bull  " 
or  thick-necked.  In  the  Hackney,  the  shoulder  is  a 
point  of  particular  importance,  for  it  has  a  great  deal  to 
do  with  the  high  knee-folding  action,  so  very  much  ad- 
mired in  the  heavy-harness  horse.  A  long,  sloping  shoul- 
der, well  clothed  with  muscle,  gives  it  that  lifting  power 
in  front  which  is  a  feature  of  the  front  action  more  often 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES      53 

met  with  in  this  breed  than  any  other.  The  body  must 
necessarily  be  deep  and  round-ribbed,  to  give  that  appear- 
ance of  substance  required,  together  with  the  rotundity 
characteristic  of  the  type.  A  loin  swathed  in  muscles, 
even  to  the  extent  of  rounding  upwards  slightly,  makes  a 
strong,  short  coupling,  which  should  join  smoothly  a 
plump  rounded  and  deeply  muscled  hind-quarter.  These, 
with  muscular  thighs  and  well-set  and  strong  hocks,  are 
derivative  of  the  snappy  and  propelling  hock  action 
behind. 

49.  The  action.  —  It  is  in  the  action  of  the  Hackney 
that  the  chief  merit  of  the  breed  for  heavy-harness  pur- 
poses resides,  although  this  statement  is  not  meant 
to  belittle  the  special  type  required  also.  It  is  styl- 
ish, attractive  action,  not  speed,  that  is  of  most  im- 
portance. The  front  feet,  in  walking  or  trotting,  are 
lifted  with  snap  and  spring,  and  in  the  trot  the  foot  goes 
forward  after  being  uplifted,  as  if  it  were  following  the 
rim  of  a  wheel.  It  is  not  held  in  the  air  at  any  one  point ; 
that  is,  the  leg  is  not  fully  extended  when  the  foot  is 
several  inches  from  the  ground,  but  it  is  still  following 
the  imaginary  rim  of  a  wheel  when  it  reaches  the  ground 
and  is  planted  firmly.  When  pulled  up,  it  does  not  fly 
toward  the  elbows  as  if  to  hit  them,  but  goes  up  and  out 
without  any  delay  in  the  knee-folding.  While  the  fore 
action  is  a  point  of  paramount  importance,  yet  it  may 
be  said  that  in  its  hock  action  for  heavy-harness  purposes 
the  Hackney  has  hardly  a  peer.  The  hock  is  lifted 
sharply  toward  the  body,  and  the  action  is  in  no  sense 
sprawling.  Many  horses  can  be  made  to  step  high  and 
fold  the  knee,  as  a  Hackney  or  heavy-harness  horse  should 
do,  but  the  true  heavy-harness  hock  action  is  not  sus- 
ceptible to  artificial  imitation.  The  weakness  of  most 


54  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

horses,  other  than  Hackneys,  in  the  heavy-harness  classes, 
is  that  the  hind-leg  dwells  somewhat  like  a  duck  swimming 
in  water ;  it  is  not  brought  up  quickly  to  the  body.  Very 
frequently,  the  leg  from  the  hock  down  is  thrown  stiffly 
forward,  making  the  horse  spread  or  sprawl  in  his  gait, 
as  his  hind-feet  have  to  be  thrown  out  and  past  the  fore- 
feet. Such  a  horse,  no  matter  how  high  or  folding  or 
even  perfect  his  fore  action  may  be,  cannot  go  with  that 
collected  and  well-balanced  stride  that  a  heavy-harness 
horse  should  have.  He  may  likely  go  faster,  but  at  a 
moderate  gait,  such  as  that  which  is  most  useful  for  heavy- 
harness  horses,  he  cannot  go  collected  and  with  snap  and 
style.  Snap  and  style  in  hind  action  are  as  neces- 
sary in  the  view  of  the  critical  horseman  as  that  of  the 
fore-feet,  and,  to  have  it,  the  hocks  must  be  properly 
flexed,  with  perhaps  less  stifle  action  than  that  required 
for  speed. 

50.  Color  of  the  Hackney.  —  In  reference  to  the  color, 
it  may  be  said  that  these  horses  are  mostly  chestnut,  bay 
or  brown,  with  white  markings.  A  rich,  dappled  brown 
is  not  an  infrequent  color. 

61.  Soundness  of  the  Hackney.  —  A  note  should  be 
made  of  the  fact  that  unsoundness  is  not  frequent  among 
Hackneys.  While  not  in  the  least  desiring  to  detract 
from  this  desirable  trait,  yet  it  needs  to  be  qualified  some- 
what, especially  when  it  is  used  to  make  invidious  com- 
parisons with  the  Standardbred  trotter.  The  Standard- 
bred  trotter  usually  leads  a  strenuous  life,  beginning  to 
race  when  two  years  old.  The  popularity  of  the  colt 
trotter  as  a  money-maker,  because  of  the  large  stakes  for 
two-  and  three-year-olds,  as  well  as  the  large  purses  for 
free-for-all  campaigners,  puts  our  Standardbred  trotter 
through  a  course  of  racing  that  is  a  very  trying  ordeal. 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES      55 

The  Hackney  is  more  carefully  kept  and  is  never  tried 
out  in  the  sense  that  our  trotting  horses  are,  consequently 
it  should  be  sounder  and  always  fresher.  The  fact  re- 
mains that  the  Hackney  as  a  breed  is  unusually  free  from 
unsoundness.  Since  the  Shire  Horse  Society  of  England 
wisely  decided,  in  1885,  that  all  horses  at  their  annual 
show  should  undergo  veterinary  examination  conducted 
by  three  qualified  veterinarians,  other  societies  have 
followed  the  system,  although  with  most  of  them  only 
one  veterinarian  acts.  In  regard  to  the  Hackney,  it  may 
be  stated  that  the  Hackney  Horse  Society  for  the  past 
seventeen  years  has  subjected  the  entries  to  its  show  to 
veterinary  examination,  and  the  percentage  rejected  has 
been  very  small.  Of  course,  when  such  a  system  is  in 
vogue,  much  carefulness  on  this  point  would  be  observed 
by  exhibitors ;  consequently  it  is  hardly  a  complete  index 
to  the  prevalence  of  unsoundness  in  the  breed  as  a  whole. 
However,  combined  with  general  observation,  the  figures 
bear  out  the  point  that  unsoundness  is  not  very  prevalent. 
In  the  years  from  1896  to  1904,  inclusive,  2108  of  the 
horses  were  examined,  and  106  of  these  were  rejected, 
showing  an  average  of  not  quite  5  per  cent  rejected. 

52.  Uses  of  the  Hackney.  —  From  what  has  been 
written,  it  is  clear  that  the  special  field  for  the  Hackney 
is  the  production  of  heavy-harness  horses,  for  the  breed 
in  itself  has  been  specifically  bred  for  that  purpose.  The 
high  knee-folding  action  and  attractive  appearance,  either 
standing  or  in  motion,  adapt  it  for  the  production  of  stylish 
heavy-harness  horses  for  city  driving.  Possessing  these 
qualities,  with  the  substance  and  smoothness  of  type  to 
wear  heavy  leather  becomingly,  the  Hackney  as  a  breed 
has  superior  claims. 

The  degree  to  which  a  breed  may  be  useful  in  producing 


56  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

a  marketable  product  is  a  factor  that  has  to  be  considered, 
as  well  as  the  breed  characteristics.  However  useful 
pure-bred  horses  may  be,  yet  the  degree  to  which  they 
may  contribute  to  the  general  improvement  of  the  horses 
of  a  country  is  a  broader  and  more  influential  factor 
entering  into  their  standing.  In  this  respect,  the  Hackney 
has  established  a  reputation.  On  our  common  mares  of 
much  quality  and  some  action,  the  Hackney  makes  a 
desirable  cross.  As  Johnstone  says,  "  the  similarity  of 
action  I  count  the  most  salient  of  its  features,"  and  it  is 
because  this  mechanical  action  is  so  deeply  bred  into  the 
Hackney  that  it  is,  perhaps,  the  most  likely  of  any  of  the 
European  light  horses  to  transmit  it.  It  seems  to  be 
easier  to  produce  the  type  than  it  is  to  secure  the  natural 
heavy-harness  action.  The  tendency  toward  this  action 
and  type  is  surely  stronger  in  the  produce  of  the  Hackney, 
because  the  breed  itself  has  been  bred  for  years  for  just 
those  things ;  yet  it  is  not  safe  to  assume  that  it  will  come 
spontaneous  to  the  service  without  proper  mannering  and 
encouragement. 

53.  Distribution.  —  The  good  qualities  of  the  Hackney 
have  attracted  world-wide  attention,  and,  as  a  conse- 
quence, it  is  now  found  in  many  lands.  In  general,  from 
England  it  has  gone  out  into  France,  Germany,  Holland, 
Denmark,  Belgium,  Spain,  Italy,  far  east  into  Japan  and 
south  into  Africa,  Australia  and  New  Zealand,  and  west- 
ward into  the  Argentina  in  South  America,  and  into 
Canada  and  the  United  States  in  North  America.  It  is 
pressing  its  way  into  every  land  where  heavy-harness 
horses  are  in  demand.  In  America,  the  Hackney  is  bred 
in  the  largest  numbers  east  of  the  Mississippi  river,  but 
numbers  of  the  breed  have  become  very  broadly  scattered 
over  the  states  and  provinces. 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES      57 

54.  Organizations    and    records.  —  The    societies   de- 
voted to  the  breed  are  the  English  Hackney  Horse  Society, 
established  in  1883,  with  the  first  stud-book  published  the 
following  year,  and  the  American  Hackney  Horse  Society, 
with  headquarters  in  New  York  City,  established  in  1891. 
The  first  volume  of  its  stud-book  was  issued  in  1893. 
Six  volumes  of  the  American  Hackney  Stud-books  and  the 
Annual  Reports  for  1914  and  1915  have  been  published, 
covering  the  registration  of  over  1700  stallions,  over  2900 
mares  and  224  foundation  stock  mares. 

FRENCH  COACH  HORSE.    Fig.  10. 
By  John  A.  Craig 

55.  The  name  "  French  Coach  "  originated  in  America, 
and  it  is  here  the  official  designation  of  this  breed  of 
coach  horses,  although   not  in  use  in  France,  where  the 
name  "  Demi-sang  "  prevails. 

There  has  always  been  a  strong  demand  in  most  of  the 
horse  markets  of  the  world  for  high-class  coach  or  carriage 
teams.  The  fact  that  carriage  teams  of  right  type  and 
action  have  brought  unusually  high  prices  in  the  horse  mar- 
kets has  always  been  a  strong  stimulus  for  their  production. 
This  of  itself  has  led  to  the  development  of  breeds  suitable 
for  the  production  of  such  horses  in  several  countries,  but 
an  additional  stimulus  was  added  to  the  production  of 
the  French  Coach  through  the  French  government  being 
actuated  by  the  desire  to  supply  its  army  with  the  best 
remounts.  The  wisdom  of  this  has  already  accrued  to 
the  advantage  of  the  private  individual,  for  superior 
carriage  horses  are  always  at  a  premium,  and  it  remains 
for  a  war  to  bring  to  the  attention  of  other  nations  the 


58  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

superior  foresight  with  which  France  has  provided  for 
her  cavalry  and  other  army  corps  in  the  matter  of  re- 
mounts. It  is  a  national  work,  the  matured  fruit  of 
which  will  be  fully  apparent  only  in  a  national  crisis  when 
most  needed. 

56.  History  in  France.  —  In  the  latter  part  of  the 
seventeenth  century,  the  French  government,  by  establish- 
ing the  Administration  des  Haras,  began  the  systematic 
improvement  of  their  horses,  and  as  early  as  1690  there 
were  1600  stallions  known  as  "  royal  "  or  "  approved." 
During  the  many  years  of  disturbance  in  France,  changes 
of  government  and  national  reverses,  the  work  has  gone 
steadily  on  to  the  present  day.  In  1879,  there  were 
3239  stallions  in  the  government  service,  and  at  the 
present  time  provision  is  made  for  the  maintenance  of 
3300  government  stallions,  mostly  kept  in  that  part  of 
France  west  of  Paris,  and  particularly  in  the  province 
or  district  of  Normandy.  It  is  in  this  section  that  the 
breed  has  had  its  greatest  growth,  and  it  was  because  of 
this  that  some  of  the  earlier  importations  were  called 
Anglo-Normans.  In  1833,  a  stud-book  was  established, 
and  in  1870  the  department  of  agriculture  was  given  con- 
trol of  the  government  horse-breeding  interests  under  the 
supervision  of  a  director  general  and  staff  of  inspectors. 
The  government  control  is  exercised  in  a  way  very  similar 
to  that  described  in  discussing  the  Percheron,  except  that 
the  government,  in  the  case  of  the  coach  horses,  does  most 
of  the  breeding,  and  consequently  branded  stallions 
among  the  French  Coachers  are  not  so  common  as  among 
the  draft  breeds.  According  to  the  report  of  the  Director 
General  for  1903,  about  fifteen  hundred  stallions  owned 
by  private  parties  were  approved  and  authorized.  The 
same  classes  are  made  as  in  the  case  of  the  draft  breeds, 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES      59 

there  being  (1)  the  stallions  in  the  government  service, 
(2)  the  stallions  subsidized  to  the  extent  of  $100  to  $1000 
yearly  while  approved,  and  (3)  the  stallions  authorized 
for  public  patronage.  All  others  are  prevented  by  a  law 
passed  in  1885  from-  standing  at  public  service,  although 
any  owner,  at  his  discretion,  may  use  such  for  private 
purposes,  a  practice  that  is  not  encouraged. 

In  the  breeding  operations  of  the  government,  a  great 
variety  of  sources  are  drawn  on.  Thoroughbreds  have 
been  very  extensively  imported  from  England  since  the 
early  days  of  the  breed,  and  Hackneys  have  been  freely 
imported  and  liberally  used ;  in  the  inception  of  the 
breed,  twenty  to  thirty  Hackneys  were  imported  annually. 
Heavy  importations  of  Arabians  and  others  from  the 
Orient  have  been  made,  particularly  in  the  early  stages 
of  government  control,  and  even  stallions  of  American 
breeding  have  been  used.  Niger,  whose  record  is  quoted 
elsewhere  as  among  the  best,  was  sired  by  the  Hackney 
stallion  Norfolk  Phenomenon,  and  had  an  American-bred 
mare  for  his  dam.  Descendants  of  Norfolk  Phenomenon 
were  a  popular  line  of  breeding,  and  enter  largely  into  the 
pedigrees  of  many  of  the  Demi-sang.  Another  stallion 
that  had  considerable  to  do  with  the  better  type  was 
Aemulus  by  Mambrino  Pilot,  and  out  of  a  Morgan-bred 
mare,  Black  Bess,  consequently  representing  one  of  the 
old  strains,  common  among  our  Standardbred  trotters. 
This  is  mentioned  to  indicate  further  the  variety  of  sources 
drawn  on  for  foundation  stock.  In  the  production  of 
trotters  among  the  French  Coach  horses,  one  stallion, 
Fuchsia,  holds  about  the  same  relation  to  the  breed  as 
Hambletonian  10  does  to  that  of  our  American  Standard- 
bred  trotters,  in  the  extent  to  which  the  blood  of  each 
predominates  in  the  respective  breeds. 


60  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

57.  History  in  America.  —  The  French  Coach  horse 
was  most  extensively  imported  to  this  country  during  the 
eighties,  many  of  them  coming  to  the  eastern  states. 
Those  sent  west  were  most  largely  taken  to  the  states 
of  Illinois  and  Ohio.     In  the  middle  west  they  have  been 
liberally  patronized,  and  when  the  foundation  mares  were 
of  suitable  size  and  type,  and  a  fair  degree  of  action,  high- 
class  carriage  horses  have  been  produced.     The  scarcity 
of  the  proper  type  of  mares  to  breed  to  such  stallions 
militated  against  the  reputation  of  the  breed  for  crossing 
purposes;    and   especially  has  the   scarcity   of  genuine 
coach  action  been  the  source  of  some  disappointment. 

58.  Types  of  French  Coach  horses.  —  Owing  to  the 
needs  of  the  army,  the  French  Coach  horse  in  France  is 
represented  by  two  types,  referred  to  as  the  Demi-sang 
trotteur,  or  those  of  the  trotting  type,  and  the  Demi-sang 
carrossier,  or  those  of  the  coach  type.     There  are  now 
two  stud-books  in  France  for  the  registration  of  these : 
The  French  Stud-book,  A  Register  of  Demi-sang  Horses 
Born  and  Imported  in  France,  established  in  1833;   and 
the  Stud-book  Trotteur,  compiled  and  published  in  1907. 
Records  had  been  compiled  before  this,  but  only  in  recent 
years  has  the  full  importance  of  these  become  manifest 
to  the  patrons  of  the  breed. 

59.  Coach  type.  —  The  French  Coach  horse  of  the  coach 
or  "  carrossier  "  type  is  in  every  essential  a  coach  or  car- 
riage horse  according  to  the  market  requirements  (Fig.  10). 
These  horses  stand,  on  an  average,  sixteen  hands  high, 
and  in  weight  may  vary  from  ten  to  fourteen  hundred 
pounds.     Most  of  the  horses  of  this  type  are  upstanding, 
carrying  their  heads  and  tails  high  when  in  motion  or  at 
rest.     They  are  smooth,  symmetrical  and  invariably  of 
fine  quality,  with  very  graceful  movement,  having  high 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES       61 


and  bold  knee  action,  with  regular,  uplifting,  hock  action. 
They  have  intelligent  heads,  graceful  necks,  snugly  ribbed 
bodies  and  muscular  quarters.  If  any  part  of  the  con- 
formation might  be  chosen  as  fit  for  general  criticism,  it 
would  be  the  legs,  although  these,  in  most  instances,  are 
well  set  and  have  every  evidence  of  quality.  There  is  an 
airiness  and  graceful- 
ness about  a  well  set- 
up French  Coacher 
that  is  hard  to  find  in 
any  other  coach  breed. 
It  is  due  chiefly  to 
their  unusual  length 
and  gracefulness  of 
neck,  in  conjunction 
with  a  spirit  of  alert- 
ness in  movement  or 
statuesqueness  in 
standing  which,  be- 
sides being  due  to  bodily  conformation,  is  also  traceable 
to  the  excellent  training  they  receive  to  show  their  qual- 
ities to  the  best  advantage.  The  common  colors  are  bay, 
brown  or  black.  Considering  the  mixed  breeding  fol- 
lowed in  evolving  the  French  Coach,  it  is  exceptionally 
uniform  in  type,  a  result  due  likely  to  the  uniformity  in 
the  standards  of  the  men  who  as  directors  have  control 
of  the  government  breeding  operations.  The  greatest 
success  in  producing  the  most  handsome  and  stylish 
carriage  or  coach  horses  has  been  attained  by  using 
mares  approaching  as  nearly  as  possible  the  type  desired, 
with  as  much  quality  and  action  as  possible. 

60.   The  trotting  type.  —  The  production  of  the  trotting 
type  for  many  purposes  has  been  encouraged  since  1836, 


FIG.   10.  —  French  Coach  mare. 


62  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

when  the  French  government  began  offering  prizes  for 
trotting  races,  with  the  special  object  of  encouraging  long- 
distance trotting,  more  especially  under  the  saddle. 
The  races  are  usually  for  distances  varying  from  two  to 
three  miles,  and  are  run  over  sod  ground.  The  records 
are  established  by  the  kilometer,  which  is  about  five- 
eighths  of  a  mile,  without  reference  to  whether  the  race 
extended  one  or  three  miles.  They  are  made  under  saddle 
from  a  standing  start  and  carrying  not  less  than  120 
pounds.  As  might  be  expected,  those  of  the  trotting 
type  are  racier  in  appearance,  being  somewhat  like  our 
own  trotters,  finely  drawn,  more  angular  than  the  coach 
type,  rangier  in  appearance  and  somewhat  better  in 
quality.  A  horse  of  stamina  and  substance,  as  well  as 
speed,  is  required,  for  it  is  to  be  remembered  that  the 
races  are  for  long  distances  over  turf,  which  demands 
strong,  bold  going  and  powerful  action  on  the  part  of  the 
animals. 

61.  Speed  records  and  races.  —  As  to  speed,  M.  W. 
Dunham,  who  was  an  extensive  importer  and  breeder, 
has  compiled  the  following  data  from  official  records : 
In  1891,  there  were  1399  contestants  in  races,  312  of 
which  trotted  races  of  two  to  three  and  three-fourths 
miles  at  less  than  three  minutes  per  mile;  137  under 
2  :  50,  112  under  2  :  45  and  62  under  2  :  40.  One  hundred 
and  one  of  the  312  were  three-year-olds.  The  average 
distance  was  2^  miles ;  average  time  per  mile,  2  :  50 ; 
fastest  time  for  three-year-olds,  distance  2^  miles, 
6 :  33 ;  fastest  time  for  five-  to  seven-year-olds,  distance 
3j  miles,  8  minutes.  In  further  reference  to  speed  it 
may  be  noted  that  in  1877,  Zacinthe  is  credited  with  hav- 
ing trotted  18 J  miles  over  a  good  road  in  59  minutes,  and 
Niger  in  1873  trotted  2j  miles  in  6 :  55.  To  prevent  the 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES       63 

sacrifice  of  size  for  speed,  it  is  asserted  by  the  authority 
just  previously  quoted  that  a  law  was  enacted  excluding 
all  horses  from  public  races  that  were  under  fifteen  and 
one-fourth  hands  high. 

As  illustrating  the  conditions  under  which  most  of  the 
races  are  held,  the  Derby  of  Rouen  may  be  cited.  It  is 
worth  20,000  francs,  made  for  three-year-olds,  to  be  entered 
the  year  of  their  birth,  and  trotted  in  June  on  turf  track 
two  miles  under  saddle,  fillies  to  carry  120  pounds,  colts 
125  pounds.  From  these  condition^  and  the  data  sub- 
mitted, it  is  easy  to  understand  that  the  government's 
aim  is  to  encourage  speed  at  the  trot  without  sacrificing 
stamina  or  substance. 

62.  Uses  of  the  French  Coach  horse.  —  The  use  of  the 
French  Coach  horse  for  carriage,  cavalry  and  fast  saddle 
purposes  will  have  been  gathered  from  the  preceding  dis- 
cussion.    It  remains  to  mention  the  use  of  French  Coach 
stallions  on  common  mares  bred  in  America  for  the  pro- 
duction of  a  grade  coach  horse  for  general  city  purposes. 
Considerable  success  has  followed  such  efforts  when  pure- 
bred stallions  have  been  used.     Half-  and  three-quarter 
bred  coachers  have  commanded  high  prices  on  the  market. 

63.  Distribution.  —  The  French  Coach  horse  has  been 
imported  into  many  parts  of  Europe  and  America,  but 
has  not  been  bred  systematically  to  any  great  extent  out- 
side of  its  native  home.     As  has  been  said,  it  is  found  in 
America  chiefly  in  the  eastern  states,  Illinois  and  Ohio 
being,  perhaps,  the  leaders. 

64.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  stud-books  de- 
voted to  this  breed  in  France  are  mentioned  in  paragraph 
58.     The  French  Jockey  Club,  organized  in  1833,  has  been 
responsible  for  much  of  the  development  of  the  breed. 
The  French   Coach  is  represented   in  America  by  the 


64  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

French  Coach  Horse  Society  of  America,  organized  in 
1888,  with  the  present  secretary  at  Oak  Park,  Illinois. 
This  society  published  the  first  volume  of  its  stud-book 
in  1906. 

GERMAN  COACH  HORSE.    Fig.  11. 
By  M .  W.   Harper 

65.  The  title  indicates  that  this  is  a  breed  of  coach 
horses,   taking  its  n&me  from   Germany,   where  it  was 
developed.     Horse-breeding    in    Germany    is    influenced 
greatly  by  military  requirements,  and  few  of  the  draft 
types  are  found  there.     Although  Germany  has  several 
types  or  breeds  of  horses  that  are  suitable  for  commercial 
and  military  purposes,  she  still  imports  many  English 
horses. 

66.  History    in    Germany.  —  Formerly    the    German 
Empire  was  comprised  of  a  number  of  states  or  princi- 
palities each  with  its  own  form  of  government.     Since 
there  was  no  interchange  of  ideas,  a  number  of  strains  of 
horses  developed,  varying  widely  in  weight,  conformation 
and  action.     Such  was  the  condition  of  horse-breeding 
at  the  time  of  the  formation  of  the  German  Empire. 
While  several  of  these  strains  retain  their  identity  at  the 
present  time,  many  others  have  been  absorbed.     This  no 
doubt  accounts  for  much  of  the  obscurity  in  the  early 
history  of  the  German  horse. 

The  northwestern  parts  of  Germany,  particularly  the 
lowlands  drained  by  the  rivers  Elbe,  Weser  and  Ems, 
which  flow  into  the  North  sea,  have  long  been  noted  as  the 
horse-breeding  section  of  the  Empire.  Early  records  of 
horse-breeding  in  Germany  go  back  nearly  five  centuries. 
As  early  as  1500,  important  annual  fairs  were  held  in 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS   Off  HORSES      65 

Friesland,  near  the  Holland  boundary,  where  buyers  from 
Holland,  Belgium  and  Germany  found  superior  horses. 
A  government  stud  was  established  at  Ilo,  which  con- 
tained 182  horses  in  1648.  At  Harlingerland,  in  East 
Friesland,  government  studs  were  in  operation,  and  re- 
ports refer  to  these  as  far  back  as  1712,  when  sixteen 
stallions  were  used  for  the  service  of  819  mares.  In 
1889,  in  this  same  region,  fifteen  stallions  were  used 
on  1421  mares.  While  the  Thoroughbred  was  ex- 
tensively used  in  the  formation  of  the  French  Coach 
horse,  the  Germans  made  little  use  of  English  blood  in 
the  development  of  their  horses,  particularly  in  the  breed- 
ing of  horses  for  cavalry.  The  Germans  demanded  a 
horse  possessing  much  substance.  In  other  horse-breed- 
ing countries,  particularly  England  and  France,  we  find 
draft  and  coach  horses  being  developed  side  by  side,  which 
leads  to  a  division  of  labor,  the  heavy  or  draft  horses  doing 
the  heavy  work,  and  the  light  horses  doing  the  lighter 
work.  In  Germany,  the  same  breed  often  serves  both 
purposes.  It  is  interesting  to  note  that  no  attempt  has 
been  made  to  breed  horses  for  speed  as  in  England  and 
France.  It  seems  that  the  prevailing  idea  was  to  produce 
a  heavier  horse  suitable  for  general  purpose  and  for  mili- 
tary service. 

Government  supervision  of  horse-breeding  in  Germany 
has  obtained  for  centuries.  The  use  of  stallions  on  mares 
of  East  Friesland  was  regulated  by  royal  edict  for  many 
years.  It  was  made  a  law  that  no  permits  should  be 
issued  authorizing  the  use  of  stallions,  unless  the  latter 
had  passed  a  satisfactory  government  inspection.  At 
the  present  time,  both  the  government  and  the  agricul- 
tural societies  promote  intelligent  horse-breeding.  Prizes 
are  awarded  to  animals  of  special  merit,  and  such  animals 


66  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

must  remain  in  the  country  for  a  specified  term.  First 
prizes  are  awarded  only  to  mature  horses  and  mares  that 
have  shown  merit  as  breeders.  Stallion  shows  have  long 
been  held  at  Aurich,  in  East  Friesland,  where  the  horses 
are  brought  annually  for  inspection  and  approval.  Prizes 
for  brood  mares  are  also  awarded  by  the  government. 

67.  History  in  America.  —  The  history  of  the  German 
Coach  horse  in  America  is  comparatively  brief.     It  first 
made  its  appearance  in  the  United  States  in  the  eighties. 
Not  much  prior  to  1890  did  the  breed  receive  recognition 
at  American  shows.     A.  B.  Holbert,  of  Greeley,  Iowa, 
was  one  of  the  earliest  to  introduce  the  breed.     Oltmann 
Brothers,  of  Illinois,  and  Crouch  &  Son,  of  Indiana,  have 
also  been  most  actively  and  prominently  identified  with 
its  promotion  in  America. 

German  Coach  horses  of  importance  are  not  as  yet 
found  in  America  in  large  numbers.  Among  the  earlier 
ones  imported,  Moltke  13,  Kaiser  Wilhelm  494,  Young 
Altma  I  458,  and  Young  Adonis  476,  met  with  favorable 
comment,  the  latter  being  a  successful  prize-winner  in 
California  in  1891.  In  the  central  West,  Bertus,  brought 
out  by  Oltmann  Brothers,  and  Euto  and  Hannibal, 
owned  by  Crouch  &  Son,  have  been  distinguished  in  the 
show-ring,  winning  against  the  severest  competition  for 
years  in  succession. 

68.  Description.  —  In  describing  the  characteristics  of  a 
typical  German  Coach  horse  as  seen  in  America  (Fig.  11), 
the   German   Hanoverian   and   Oldenburg   coach   Horse 
Stud-book  says : 

"  The  typical  German  horse  is  bay,  brown  or  black,  six- 
teen to  sixteen  and  one-half  hands  high,  and  weighs  1350  to 
1450  pounds.  He  has  a  deep,  round  body,  close  ribbed, 
and  well  proportioned,  neck  long  and  high  set  on  the 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES      67 


shoulders,  neat  at  the  throat,  with  clean  cut  head  and  with 
bright  and  intelligent  countenance.  His  back  is  short  and 
strong,  smooth  at  coupling,  tail  well  set,  plump  rounded 
quarters,  strongly  muscled  limbs,  strong  hock,  clean  flat 
bone,  and  the  best 
possible  feet." 

From  the  discussion 
of  types  given  below, 
it  will  be  evident  that 
these  horses  vary  in 
size.  Coarseness  is 
not  uncommon,  as 
seen  in  large  head  and 
joints,  with  more  or 
less  grossness  of  bone. 
In  action,  from  the 
coach  horse  point  of 
view,  they  are  fre- 
quently deficient.  A 

superior  folding  of  knee  and  flexing  of  hock,  is  not  a 
prevailing  attribute  of  the  American  specimens  of  the 
breed. 

69.  Types  and  families.  —  As  stated  above,  owing  to 
the  conditions  prevailing  in  Germany,  we  have  many 
types  of  German  Coach  horses.     Perhaps  the  most  noted 
are  the  East  Prussian  or  Trakehner  horses,  the  Hanoverian, 
the  Holstein,  the  Oldenburg,  and  the  Schleswig  coach 
horses.    Most  of  these  have  separate  stud-books  and  are 
well  recognized. 

70.  The  East  Prussian  or  Trakehner  horse  is  perhaps 
the  lightest  of  all.     It  has  a  good  disposition,  great  en- 
durance, a  fine  head,  well-formed  back  and  is  well  ribbed 
up.     It  is,  perhaps,  rather  long  legged,  looks  rather  light 


FIG.  11.  —  German  Coach  stallion. 


68  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

for  its  height,  and  lacks  the  action  that  is  admired  in  a 
carriage  horse.  In  1732,  Frederick  William  I,  King  of 
Prussia,  founded  the  stud  at  Trakehner.  This  soon  be- 
came the  home  breeding  center  of  East  Prussia.  Fred- 
erick furnished  this  stud  with  something  more  than  1100 
horses  collected  from  the  royal  studs.  There  were  a  few 
importations  from  Arabia  and  a  few  Thoroughbreds 
added  to  the  stud  from  time  to  time. 

71.  The  Hanoverian  horses  are  larger  than  the  East 
Prussian  horses.     However,   they  are  softer,   and   their 
action  not  so  good,  due,  perhaps,  to  the  Arabian  and 
Thoroughbred  blood  in  the  East  Prussian  horses.     They 
are  used  more  for  draft  than  for  saddle  purposes.     They 
have  strong  legs  and  a  good  back,  on  which  they  can  carry 
a  load  sufficiently  heavy  to  make  them  serviceable  military 
horses.     These  horses  are  bred  by  farmers,  who  work 
the  brood  mares  on  their  farms.     There  is  no  trace  of 
either  Arabian  or  Thoroughbred  blood  in  their  veins. 

72.  The  Holstein  horses  are  about  equal  to  the  Hano- 
verian   in    size.     They   are   fine   powerful   horses,    with 
good  legs  and  free  action,  are  suitable  for  both  riding 
and  driving,  and  are  in  great  demand ;  but  it  is  doubtful 
whether  they  are  as  enduring  as  the  East  Prussian  horses. 
For  many  centuries,  Holstein  has  been  noted  for  its  good 
horses. 

73.  Oldenburg  horses  are,  perhaps,  the  parent  of  the 
German  Coach  horses,  and   are   used   for  heavy   coach 
work,  and  as  all-purpose  horses,  but   seldom  are   used 
as   saddlers.     Some   writers   contend   that   these    horses 
are  not  of  the  best  quality,  but  stand  in  high  favor  be- 
cause of  their  great  size,  some  being  seventeen    hands 
high,   and  broad   in  proportion.     They  have  good  dis- 
positions, and  mature  at  an  early  age. 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES      69 

74.  East  Friesland  horses  are  about  as  large  as  the 
Oldenburg   horses,    and    have   grown   up   under   similar 
conditions.     The  East  Friesland  Stud-book  says :    "  The 
object  of  the  breed  is  to  produce  a  strong,  noble  and 
docile  carriage  horse,  which  will    develop    quickly,  and 
can  be  put  to  light  agricultural  work  in  its  third  year, 
in  order  to  refund  a  part  of  its  cost  of  rearing." 

75.  Schleswig  horses  were  formerly  among  the  most 
highly  prized  of  German  horses.     They  were  in  great 
demand  for  military  purposes  as  they  possessed  sufficient 
size  and  stamina  to  carry  the  heavily  armored  knight 
and  to  do  all  kinds  of  pack  and  draft  work.     Possibly  the 
most  noted  stud  in  Schleswig  was  that  established  by 
Frederick  III  in  1648.  _  It  is  stated  that  present-day  horses 
can   be   traced   to   this   stud.     In    1891    the   Registered 
Union  of  Schleswig  Horse  Breeding  Societies  was  formed 
with  the  stated  object  of  "  supplying  a  strong  work  horse 
that    can   fulfill    agricultural,    commercial    and    military 
requirements." 

76.  Uses  of  German  Coach  horses.  —  As  stated  above, 
in  the  German  Empire  this  is  the  horse-of -all-work.     At 
home,  this  breed  is  called  on  to  do  the  saddle  work,  the 
light  as  well  as  the  heavy  carriage  work,  and  the  draft 
work.     In  this  country,  the  German  Coach  horse  differs 
from  other  coach  horses  in  at  least  two  respects.     In  the 
first  place,  there  has  never  been  any  attempt  to  breed 
or  train  them  to  speed  at  the  trot ;  and  in  the  second  place, 
some  strains  are  decidedly  heavier  than  the  other  coach 
horses,  notably  the   Hackney   and   the   French   Coach. 
There  may  be  individual  exceptions  to  this  statement, 
but  in  this  country  the  large  German  Coacher  ranks  between 
the  French  Coach  and  the  Suffolk  Punch,  the  lightest  o? 
the  draft  breeds. 


70  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Since  we  have  the  two  extremes,  varying  so  much  in 
size,  conformation  and  action,  we  might  expect  them  to 
meet  a  variety  of  conditions.  For  example,  take  the 
East  Prussian  or  Trakehner  horses,  which  have  some 
Arabian  and  Thoroughbred  blood  in  their  veins,  and  we 
would  expect  these  to  meet  any  condition  requiring  a 
light  well-bred  horse.  They  possess  much  quality,  action 
and  endurance,  and  are  undoubtedly  adapted  for  light 
coach  work.  On  the  other  hand,  we  would  not  expect 
the  heavy  horses  from  Oldenburg,  to  be  so  active  nor 
enduring.  In  fact,  these  big  horses  are  looked  on  with 
disfavor  by  some  persons. 

77.  Distribution.  —  The  German  Coach  horse  is  found 
in  many  countries  throughout  Europe,  South  Africa  and 
both  North  and  South  America.     In  Canada,  it  is  per- 
haps most  popular  in  the  Northwest.     In  the  United 
States,  it  is  most  popular  in  the  states  of  Indiana,  Illinois 
and  Iowa,  but  it  is  found  in  many  parts  of  the  country. 

78.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  German,  Hano- 
verian and  Oldenburg  Coach  Horse  Association  of  Amer- 
ica was  incorporated  under  the  laws  of  the  state  of  Illinois 
about  1892,  and  a  stud-book  was  organized,  containing 
pedigrees  of  registered  stallions  and  mares  imported,  or 
raised    in    America.     Two    volumes    have    been    issued. 
Three  thousand  stallions  and  500  mares  have  been  regis- 
tered.    Soon    after    the    organization    of    the    German, 
Hanoverian   and   Oldenburg    Coach   Horse   Association, 
came  the  Oldenburg  Coach  Horse  Association,  which  was 
also  incorporated  in  Illinois.    So  far  as  the  American  public 
is  aware,  the  various  coach  horses  brought  to  America 
from  Germany  are  known  as  the  German  Coach  breed, 
whether    Oldenburg,    Hanoverian,    or    otherwise.     This 
difference  of  title  may  be  accounted  for  in  part  by  the 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES      71 

variety  of  types.  It  would  seem  that  the  advocates  of 
the  breed  would  do  well  to  clarify  in  some  permanent 
way  this  apparent  confusion  of  names. 

CLEVELAND  BAY  AND  YORKSHIRE  COACH  HORSE.    Figs. 

12,  13. 

By  John  A.  Craig 

79.  The  Yorkshire  Coach  horse  is  an  outgrowth  of  the 
Cleveland  Bay  Coach  horse,  conceded  to  be  merely  an 
improved  type.     The  two  are  so  inseparably  associated 
that  it  is  deemed  best  to  consider  them  together.     In 
fact,  in  America,  they  are  considered  to  be  one  breed  and 
are  registered  in  the  same  stud-book. 

80.  History    in    Great    Britain.  —  Perhaps    the    best 
evidence  we  have  of  the  ancient  origin  of  this  breed  is  the 
prevalence  of  so  many  theories  as  to  the  foundation  from 
which  it  started.     Martin  Doyle,  writing  in  1843,  asserts 
that  it  is  descended  from  the  old  war  horse  of  Great 
Britain.     There  are   other   authorities,   also,   who   state 
that  this  breed  has  the  best  claim  to  the  distinction  of 
being  related  to  the  horses  that  pulled  the  war  chariots 
of  the  early  Britons  when  Julius  Csesar  invaded  England. 
As  a  matter  of  fact  the  first  records  of  the  Cleveland 
horse  connect  it  with  being  a  pack  or  Chapman  horse. 

It  is  historically  certain  that  the  breed  originated  in 
Yorkshire,  one  of  the  northern  counties  of  England. 
The  conditions  of  Yorkshire  were  eminently  suitable  for 
the  production  of  superior  light  horses.  The  people 
were  horsemen,  and  the  fertile  valleys  and  hills,  under- 
laid in  the  best  grazing  districts  with  limestone,  were  very 
productive  of  nutritious  grass. 


72  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

No  specific  reference  to  the  Cleveland  breed  is  made  by 
any  of  the  earlest  writers.  The  first  distinct  reference  to 
the  Cleveland  seems  to  be  that  made  by  George  Culley, 
in  his  "  Observations  on  Live  Stock, "  published  in  1801. 
In  this  reference,  Culley  originates  the  theory  that  the 
Cleveland  Bay  horse  is  the  result  of  the  mixture  of  the 
Thoroughbred  with  the  cart  horse,  a  theory  which  some 
writers  combat  so  far  as  to  say  that  neither  the  Thorough- 
bred nor  a  heavy  strain  like  the  old  cart  horse  had  any- 
thing to  do  with  the  formation  of  the  breed.  One  author- 
ity,1 who  takes  unusual  pains  to  substantiate  the  war 
horse  theory  of  Cleveland  Bay  origin,  goes  to  consider- 
able length  to  disprove  the  introduction  of  either  cart  or 
Thoroughbred  blood,  and  this  he  has  failed  to  accomplish, 
as  he  has  been  forced  to  acknowledge  that  "  Probability 
points  to  a  Thoroughbred  Traveler  as  having  had  some- 
thing to  do  with  imparting  fresh  quality  and  courage  to 
the  Cleveland  Bay."  The  straight  croup  or  level  hind- 
quarter  is  a  decided  Thoroughbred  characteristic,  and  it 
is  a  trait  that  most  other  breeds  of  light  horses  tend 
towards  when  much  Thoroughbred  blood  is  used,  as  has 
been  found  in  the  instance  of  both  the  Hackney  and  the 
French  Coach  horses.  It  is  a  matter  of  record,  too,  that 
Dunsley's  Dart,  one  of  the  three  sires  that  seem  to  have 
had  most  to  do  in  establishing  the  Cleveland  as  a  breed, 
goes  back  to  the  Darley  Arabian,  and  the  preface  to  the 
Yorkshire  coach  studbook  so  states.  The  old  Cleveland 
Bay,  the  horse  that  was  so  popular  in  early  days  for 
heavy  coaches  and  for  matched  teams  for  the  London 
market,  may  not  have  had  very  much  Thoroughbred 
blood  in  it,  considering  the  amount  that  has  been  used 
later. 

1  Light  Horses  :   Breeds  and  Management. 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES      73 

The  best  early  history  of  the  county  of  Yorkshire 
appears  in  three  separate  prize  essays  by  different  writers, 
published  in  the  ninth  volume  of  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  (England)  Report,  published  in  1848,  from  which 
the  following  reference  by  George  Legard  is  taken : 
"  Formerly,  a  large,  powerful,  bony  animal  was  required 
for  carriage  purposes ;  the  fashion  of  the  present  day  has, 
however,  changed  this  particular,  and  now  it  is  necessary 
that  the  London  carriage  horse  should  be  at  least  three 
parts  Thoroughbred.  Consequently,  all  traces  of  the 
original  pure  coaching  breed  or  Cleveland  Bay,  as  it  was 
termed,  are  nearly  obliterated."  Another  writer  on 
Yorkshire  in  the  same  report,  page  518,  says :  "  The 
Cleveland,  as  a  pure-bred,  is  losing  something  of  its  dis- 
tinctiveness.  It  is  running  into  a  proverb  that  a  Cleve- 
land horse  is  too  stiff  for  a  hunter  and  too  light  for  a 
coacher,  but  there  are  still  remnants  of  the  breed,  though 
less  carefully  kept  distinctively  than  may  be  wished  by 
advocates  of  the  breed." 

Other  causes,  too,  were  operating  to  change  the  type  of 
the  breed  and  encourage  the  more  liberal  use  of  Thorough- 
bred blood.  One  of  these  was  that  the  abundant  grass- 
land was  converted  into  tillage-land.  The  high  price  of 
grains,  due  to  the  war,  induced  an  unusual  activity  in 
farming,  and  a  heavier  horse  was  called  for.  The  coal 
industry  also  demanded  a  heavier  horse.  Again,  the  use 
of  the  horse  on  the  road,  because  of  lighter  vehicles,  called 
for  a  lighter  horse,  so  that,  in  a  multitude  of  ways,  the 
old  type  of  Cleveland  was  undergoing  dissolution.  When 
the  outlook  seemed  darkest,  the  American  trade  opened 
up,  and,  in  1884,  the  Cleveland  Bay  Horse  Society  was 
formed,  and  a  stud-book  established.  At  this  time 
Thoroughbred  blood  was  used  very  liberally.  So  much 


74  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

stress  would  not  be  laid  on  the  Thoroughbred  blood 
introduced,  if  the  writer  did  not  believe  that  all  our 
recognized  breeds  of  light  horses  have  more  or  less  Thor- 
oughbred blood  in  them,  and  all  are,  as  a  consequence, 
rooted  deep  in  Oriental  ancestry,  chiefly  the  Arab. 

In  1889  the  Royal  Agriculture  Society  recognized  the 
Cleveland  Bay  as  one  of  the  distinct  breeds  of  English 
horses,  and  offered  prizes  for  it,  although  it  was  shown 
with  the  Yorkshire  Coach.  At  the  meeting  of  the  so- 
cieties, in  York,  as  early  as  1848,  a  few  Clevelands  were 
shown. 

81.  History  in  America.  —  It  cannot  be  said  that  the 
Cleveland  Bay  or  Yorkshire  Coach  horse  ever  had  the 
popularity  in  this  country  that  has  attended  the  impor- 
tation of  some  of  the  other  breeds  of  light  horses.   Those 
that    were    imported    were    considered    unusually    good 
representatives,  but  the  type  and  breed  characteristics 
never  found  much  favor.     In  coach  or  carriage  horses, 
high  and  attractive  front  action  with  good  hock  action 
are    essentials,    combined    with    a    stylish,    smooth    and 
symmetrical  appearance,  associated  with  quality  in  all 
parts.     In  these  respects,   the   Cleveland   Bay  did   not 
approach  the  excellence  shown  by  other  breeds. 

82.  Description. — In  the  Cleveland  Stud-book  (British) 
there  is  the  following  description  of  the  Cleveland  Bay 
horse  which,  in  addition  to  being  very  accurate,  is  also 
official :   "  From  sixteen  hands  one  inch  to  sixteen  hands 
two  and  one-half  inches  in  height,  he  should  be  possessed 
of  good,  sloping  shoulders,  a  short  back,  powerful  loins, 
and  long  quarters.     His  head  is  rather  plain  than  other- 
wise, and  on  the  long  side,  but  it  is  well  carried,  and  his 
general    appearance    denotes    strength,    combined    in    a 
manner  not  seen  in  any  other  light  horse  breed.     His 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES      75 


action  is  not  specially  high,  but  it  is  the  kind  for  getting 
over  the  ground.  In  color  he  is  bay  —  either  light  or 
dark  —  with  black 
legs  clear  of  hair; 
and  black,  zebra-like 
stripes  on  the  arm  and  §j$f''~\£. 
above  the  hocks  are 
sometimes  seen. 
These  are  known  as 
the  black  points  and 
are  supposed  to  de- 
note special  purity  of 
breeding.  White, 
save  a  small  star  or  a 

«  i  . ,      i     .       •      ,  i  FIG.   12.  —  Cleveland  Bay  stallion. 

few  white  hairs  in  the 

heel,  is  not  admissible,  a  blaze  or  white  foot  proclaiming 
at    once  the    admixture   of  foreign  blood  " 1   (Figs.   12, 

13) .  An  early  writer 2 
makes  the  following 
comment  on  the  old 
stamp  of  Cleveland 
Bay,  just  about  the 
time  the  Thorough- 
bred was  to  be  used 
most  liberally :  "Very 
many  of  the  Cleve- 
land horses  are  disfig- 
ured by  having  large 
heads  and  Roman 

FIG.  13.  —  Cleveland  Bay  mare. 

noses;  and  it  is  only 
when  these  parts  are,  to  a  certain  extent,  concealed  by 


Wallace,  Farm  Live  Stock  of  Great  Britain. 

John  Burke,  Royal  Agricultural  Society  Report,  Vol.  V,  1844. 


76  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

the  winkers  of  the  bridles  and  the  trappings  that  adorn 
them,  and  their  heads  are  borne  up  by  the  bearing  rein, 
that  they  acquire  the  imposing  appearance  which,  when 
well  matched,  so  many  of  them  possess.  When  stripped, 
a  great  proportion  of  them  appear  a  very  different  sort  of 
animal  indeed,  and,  in  all  probability,  a  smaller  and  more 
compact  sort  of  horse  would  go  through  double  the 
quantity  of  work  that  they  are  capable  of  enduring. 
Fashion,  however,  is  to  be  consulted  by  the  breeder, 
to  a  certain  extent ;  and,  so  long  as  he  can  obtain  from 
job  masters  a  large  sum  for  a  pair  of  these  overgrown 
animals,  he  will  do  well  to  breed  them  without  refer- 
ence to  their  being  unequal  in  point  of  endurance  to 
a  smaller  and  better-formed  sort  of  draft  horse.  It  is 
generally  supposed  that  a  horse  destined  for  harness 
should  not  have  a  very  oblique  shoulder,  as  when  so 
formed  he  is  not  capable  of  throwing  so  much  of  his  weight 
into  the  collar  as  when  his  shoulders  are  more  upright; 
but  it  must  be  remembered  that  grand  and  lofty  action  is 
highly  prized  in  London  for  the  purpose  of  show,  and  not 
for  hard  work,  and  hence  a  sloping  shoulder  is  a  point  to 
be  desired  by  the  farmer  who  breeds  carriage  horses  for 
the  London  market ;  for,  as  I  have  already  observed,  it 
is  one  which  is  mostly  accompanied  by  high  action." 

In  the  latter  part  of  the  nineteenth  century,  after  the 
organization  of  societies  in  the  eighties,  to  promote  this 
breed,  the  British  public  became  interested  in  the  horse 
to  supplant  oxen  on  the  farm.  At  this  time,  too,  the 
demand  changed  from  a  very  heavy  carriage  horse  to  a 
lighter  horse  with  more  quality,  more  style  and  more 
coach  or  high  action.  The  Cleveland  had  to  veer  one 
way  or  the  other  or  become  extinct.  It  is  evident  that  it 
was  changed  towards  the  latter  largely  by  the  greater 


THE  HEAVY-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES      77 

use  of  Thoroughbred  blood,  and  that  resulted  in  the  type 
more  commonly  known  by  the  name  of  the  Yorkshire 
coach  horse.  To  indicate  the  tendency  of  the  change,  the 
following  extract  from  the  Yorkshire  Coach  Stud-book 
will  be  of  service :  "It  cannot  be  claimed  for  the  York- 
shire coach  horse  that  he  is  a  pure-bred  animal,  but  that, 
on  the  contrary,  by  the  judicious  crossing  of  large-sized 
good-colored  mares  with  stallions  altogether  or  nearly 
Thoroughbred,  a  class  of  horses  has  been  produced  suited 
to  the  wants  and  circumstances  of  the  times.  By  univer- 
sal consent,  the  color  should  be  bay  or  brown,  with  black 
eyes,  mane  and  tail  abundant  but  not  curly,  the  height 
from  sixteen  hands  to  sixteen  hands  two  inches,  with 
fine  head,  sloping  shoulders,  strong  loins,  and  lengthy 
quarters,  high-stepping  action,  good  sound  feet,  flat  legs 
and  abundance  of  bone  and  muscle." 

83.  Uses  of  the  Cleveland  Bay  horse.  —  Enough  has 
been  said  to  indicate  the  place  of  the  Cleveland  Bay  as 
a  coach  horse.     It  has  found  some  favor  as  a  roadster, 
especially  in  England.     These  horses  are  very  uniform 
in  color  and  markings,  and  they  are  very  prepotent  in 
transmitting  these  characters  when  crossed  on  common 
mares.     Because  of  this  their  get  is  uniform  and  easily 
matched   into  teams.     Their   size  and   power  and   dis- 
position adapt  them  for  some  of  the  work  of  the  farm 
better  than  is  the  case  with  any  of  the  other  breeds  of 
light  horses;    but,  owing  to  their  deficiency  in  quality 
and  action,  they  have  not  been  generally  popular  in  Ainer- 
ican  horse-breeding  districts. 

84.  Distribution.  —  The  Cleveland  Bay  horse  has  en- 
joyed some  popularity,  notably  in  South  Africa.     Aside 
from  importations  into  America,  the  horse  has  been  taken 
to  South  America,  Australia  and  Sweden. 


78  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

85.  Organizations  and  records.  —  There  are  two  stud- 
books  in  England,  that  of  the  Cleveland  Bay  Horse  Society 
and  that  of  the  Coach  Horse  Society,  devoted  to  the  York- 
shire Coach.  In  1885,  the  Cleveland  Bay  Horse  Society 
of  America  was  organized,  which  registers  both  the 
Cleveland  Bay  and  the  Yorkshire  Coach.  The  head- 
quarters of  the  society  are  in  Aurora,  Illinois.  It  has 
published  two  volumes  of  its  stud-book. 


CHAPTER  III 
THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES 

THE  light-harness  horse  is  rangy,  long,  light,  angular, 
narrow  and  deep,  that  form  which  favors  the  longest, 
straightest  stride,  most  rapidly  done  and  frequently  re- 
peated. The  significance  of  the  term  has  already  been 
explained  in  the  preceding  chapter. 

Light-harness  horses  are  used  for  road  driving  and 
harness  racing  and  may  be  either  trotters  or  pacers. 

AMERICAN  STANDARDBRED  HORSE.     Plate  IV. 
By  John  A.  Craig 

86.  The  trotting  horse  has  entered  more  largely  into 
the  pleasures  and  uses  of  the  American  people  than  any 
of  the  other  classes  of  light  horses,  although  the  gaited 
saddle  horse  has  been  to  some  extent  a  competitor  in 
these  directions  in  recent  years.  For  trotting  purposes  on 
the  track  or  on  the  road,  no  other  strain  or  breed  has 
approached  the  American  Standardbred  trotter.  Its 
development  to  the  present  excellence  is  due  wholly  to  the 
work  of  the  American  breeder,  although  most  of  the 
original  material  that  entered  into  the  foundation  of  the 
American  Standardbred  trotting  horse  came  from  outside 
sources. 

79 


80  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

87.  Origin.  —  In  common  with  all  breeds  of  light  horses, 
the  American  Standardbred  horse  (the  writer  uses  the 
word  "  breed  "  advisedly,  for  he  will  show  that  our  horses 
officially  known  under  this  name  are  as  much  entitled  to 
it  as  any  other)  traces  back  through  the  Thoroughbred  to 
the  Arab.  The  Arab  is  the  original  source  of  the  Thorough- 
bred, and  nearly  every  breed  of  light  horses  worthy  of  note 
has  drawn  so  largely  on  these  two  that  it  makes  the 
Darley  Arabian,  the  Byerly  Turk  and  the  Godolphin 
Barb  the  triune  root  of  all  of  them.  [See  the  articles 
on  the  Thoroughbred,  the  Arab,  and  the  Barb  and  the 
Turk.] 

Previous  to  the  advent  of  these  Eastern  importations, 
racing  had  not  attracted  much  public  patronage  in  Great 
Britain.  A  writer  l  refers  to  the  time  of  their  advent  as 
follows :  Byerly  Turk,  about  1689 ;  Darley  Arabian,  early 
in  the  eighteenth  century ;  Godolphin  Arabian  (probably 
a  Barb),  1728.  Trotting  matches  seem  then  to  have  been 
unknown,  but  it  was  about  that  time  that  marked  the  era 
of  running  races.  In  1751,  Reginald  Heber  published  the 
first  number  of  the  Racing  Calendar,  and  the  light-horse 
breeding  interests  of  Great  Britain  began  to  assume 
noticeable  proportions. 

The  Darley  Arabian  sired  the  first  great  Thoroughbred 
or  running  horse  in  Flying  Childers.  While  Flying 
Childers  was  a  stout  race  horse,  yet  it  was  through  his 
brother,  Bartlett's  Childers,  progenitor  of  Eclipse,  that 
the  most  turf  performers  trace.  Flying  Childers  sired 
Blaze,  foaled  in  1733,  whose  pedigree  is  given  very  com- 
pletely by  Captain  Urton  (Newmarket  and  Arabia). 
This  pedigree  shows  that  Blaze  was  deeply  bred  in  Orien- 
tal blood  lines,  and  yet  from  him  it  seems  a  little  stream 

1  Light  Horses:   Breeds  and  Management. 


PLATE  V.  —  Breed  Types  of  Horses. 


THOROUGHBRED  STALLION. 


Cow  PONY  OR  BRONCO. 


THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES       81 

of  trotting  blood  emanates,  which  history  pronounces  to 
be  the  most  ancient  source  of  two  modern  breeds,  —  the 
American  Standardbred  horse  and  the  Hackney.  Per- 
haps the  chief  notoriety  of  Blaze  in  Thoroughbred  circles 
was  attained  through  his  being  the  sire  of  the  dam  of 
Herod.  He  also  had  two  sons  of  interest  in  this  discus- 
sion, namely,  Sampson  and  Shales.  Sampson  shows  a 
deviation  in  type  from  other  Thoroughbreds  of  the  time, 
being  considered  a  very  large  horse,  15.2  hands  high,  and 
said  to  be  the  largest-boned  Thoroughbred  horse  ever  bred. 
He  was  a  noted  and  proved  race  horse.  He  sired  Engineer, 
sire  of  Mambrino,  sire  of  Messenger.  He  was  also  the 
grandsire  of  the  dam  of  Useful  Cub,  that  trotted  seven- 
teen miles  in  less  than  an  hour.  Shales,  the  other  son  of 
Blaze,  sired  Driver  and  Scott's  Shales,  both  of  which  were 
trotters,  and  considered  by  careful  investigators  to  be 
pillars  of  the  Hackney. 

88.  Influence  of  Messenger.  —  Messenger  was  im- 
ported in  1788.  His  line  is  an  unbroken  series  of  trotters. 
He  sired  Mambrino,  which  had  about  a  dozen  trotting 
sons,  in  three  of  which  we  are  chiefly  interested :  Mam- 
brino, Bishop's  Hambletonian  and  the  mare  Silvertail. 
Mambrino  sired  Mambrino  Paymaster,  and  Abdallah,  the 
former  the  sire  of  Mambrino  Chief,  founder  of  the  family 
of  that  name  among  Standardbred  horses.  Abdallah  sired 
Hambletonian  10,  the  founder  of  the  Hambletonian  family 
in  the  Standardbred  breed.  Silvertail  was  the  dam  of 
One  Eye,  the  dam  of  the  Charles  Kent  mare;  and  this 
mare  was  by  Imported  Bellfounder,  which  traces  back 
through  the  Fireaways  to  Driver,  the  son  of  Shales,  the 
son  of  Blaze.  To  get  all  this  clear,  the  following  chart  is 
submitted : 


82  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Darley  Arabian 
Flying  Childers 

Blaze 

I 


Sampson 1  Shales 

Engineer  Useful  Cub  i —  — i 

Driver  Scott's 

Mambrino  |  ghalea 

Messlnger  The  Fireaways 


ibrii 


Mambrino    Hambletonian    Silvertail 
(Bishop's) 


Pretender          Achilles 
Fireaway 


Mambrino  Pay-      Abdallah         One  Eye 


master 


Mambrino  Chief  II 


Chas.  Kent  mare  —  Bellf  ounder  55 

J 


Hambletonian  10 

With  the  advent  of  Messenger,  the  trotting  instinct 
becomes  decidedly  more  pronounced.  The  chief  feature 
of  his  pedigree  is  that  he  was  not  only  a  Thoroughbred, 
but  dips  deep  into  the  fountain  sources  of  that  breed. 
The  records  are  pregnant  with  the  performances  of  his 
progeny  and  also  attest  to  his  value  as  a  progenitor  of 
trotting  speed,  through  the  get  of  his  sons,  and  the  degree 
to  which  their  blood  permeates  the  pedigrees  of  even  our 
most  notable  of  modern  trotters.  In  the  catalogue  of 
the  International  Stock  Food  Farm,  there  appears  an  ex- 
ceptionally erudite  pedigree  of  Dan  Patch  1 : 55|,  the 
champion  pacer  of  the  world,  and  it  is  shown  that  he  traces 
forty-three  times  to  Messenger.  The  first  noted  per- 
former of  this  strain  was  Topgallant.  Paul  Pry,  a  grand- 
son of  Messenger,  was  ridden  by  Woodruff  18  miles  in  a 
fraction  less  than  57  minutes.  Lady  Suffolk  began  racing 


THE  LIGHT-HAENESS  BREEDS   OF  HOESES       83 

in  public  in  1838,  and  for  fifteen  years  raced  the  most 
successful  trotters  of  her  time.  The  almost  equally  famous 
mare,  Green  Mountain  Maid  (not  to  be  confused  with  the 
mare  of  the  same  name  that  was  Electioneer 's  dam),  and 
Princess,  another  notable  campaigner,  were  of  this  blood. 
Happy  Medium  might  also  be  said  to  be  an  inbred  Mes- 
senger. When  we  consider  that  his  daughter,  Nancy 
Hanks,  2 :  04,  was  out  of  Nancy  Lee  by  Dictator  by  Ham- 
bletonian  10,  it  is  easy  to  understand  how  deeply  bred  this 
remarkable  trotter  of  our  day  embodies  Messenger  blood. 

Before  taking  up  the  influence  of  other  Thoroughbred 
sources,  there  are  other  scattering  streams  of  Messenger 
blood  that  should  be  mentioned.  The  Clay  family, 
through  the  founder,  Henry  Clay,  has  a  very  distant  in- 
fusion. The  Morgan  family,  also,  has  a  considerable 
infusion  of  Messenger  blood.  Among  the  old  Canadian 
families  having  Messenger  blood,  one  of  the  most  promi- 
nent is  that  of  Royal  George  9.  Royal  George's  descend- 
ants to-day  bear  out  the  fact  that  the  Messenger  family 
was  the  most  prolific  source  of  trotting  speed  in  Canada. 
Another  Canadian  family  that  runs  into  some  of  our  best 
Standardbreds  originated  in  the  Bullock  horse,  which 
traces  directly  to  Messenger.  Strathmore  408,  the 
founder  of  one  of  the  very  best  families  of  the  Standard- 
bred  trotter,  carried  much  Messenger  blood. 

These  references,  showing  the  infusion  of  Messenger 
blood  into  the  families  of  Mambrino  Chief  II,  Hamble- 
tonian  10,  Morgan,  Clay  and  others,  will  enable  one  to 
form  some  idea  of  the  degree  to  which  Messenger  blood 
forms  a  widespread  foundation  for  the  present  Standard- 
bred  trotter. 

89.  Other  important  contributors.  —  Besides  Messenger, 
several  other  imported  Thoroughbreds  have  contributed 


84  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

to  the  breeding  of  the  Standardbred  trotter.  Suffice  it 
to  mention  Bonnie  Scotland,  Australian  Trustee,  Lapidis 
and  Glencoe.  The  influence  of  these  was  chiefly  through 
their  American-bred  sons  and  daughters. 

90.  Influence  of  American  horses.  —  Let  us  now  con- 
sider the  status  of  the  horses  in  use  on  this  continent  as 
road  horses  or  trotters,  about  the  time  (1788)  that  Mes- 
senger was  imported.  In  the  earliest  colonial  days,  most 
of  the  traveling  was  done  on  horseback,  and  a  race  most 
popular  for  journeying  this  way  was  the  Narragansett 
pacer,  bred  most  largely  in  Rhode  Island.  In  addition, 
this  pacer  was  the  racing  horse  of  the  people  of  Rhode 
Island  and  Virginia  as  early  as  the  last  of  the  seventeenth 
century.  Dr.  McMonagle  states  :  "  The  combination  of 
these  (Narragansett)  with  the  French  stock  imported 
from  France  to  Quebec,  in  1665,  produced  the  Canadian 
pacers.  Out  of  that  combination  we  have  the  Pilots, 
which  were  taken  to  Kentucky  and  proved  to  be  the  pro- 
ducers of  some  of  the  best  trotting  horses  there.  From 
the  same  stock  we  have  the  Columbuses,  which  were  taken 
to  Vermont,  where  they  produced  trotters  of  which,  the 
fastest  went  in  2 : 19f  —  a  daughter  of  Phil  Sheridan,  the 
most  potent  sire  of  the  family."  It  seems  clear  to  the 
above  writer  that  the  Narragansett  pacer  was  chiefly  the 
original  source  of  the  Canadian  blood  so  largely  taken  to 
Kentucky  and  other  states  at  an  early  day. 

Justin  Morgan,  the  founder  of  the  family  of  that  name, 
was  foaled  in  1793  (some  authorities  give  it  1789),  and 
Pilot,  about  the  first  to  attract  the  attention  of  the  Ameri- 
can public,  was  foaled  about  1826.  The  Pilots,  St.  Law- 
rences, St.  Clairs,  Columbuses  and  Copperbottoms  were 
taken  from  Canada  at  the  beginning  of  the  last  century  to 
Vermont,  New  York,  Kentucky,  California  and  other 


THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES       85 

states  that  were  trotting-horse  centers  at  that  early  day, 
and  blended  well  with  the  other  families  that  were  form- 
ing. The  Morgans  were  well  under  way  at  this  era.  The 
three  sons  that  formed  leading  branches  of  the  family  were 
Sherman,  foaled  in  1809,  Bulrush,  foaled  in  1812,  and 
Woodbury,  foaled  in  1816.  Then,  too,  the  Bashaws  and 
the  Clays  were  starting  under  way;  for  Grand  Bashaw 
was  imported  in  1820.  He  sired  Andrew  Jackson,  foaled 
in  1728,  which,  in  turn,  sired  Henry  Clay  and  Long  Island 
Black  Hawk,  both  foaled  in  1837.  The  latter  sired  Green's 
Bashaw  in  1855.  Andrew  Jackson  ranked  and  was  con- 
temporaneous with  Abdallah,  the  latter  being  foaled  in 
1823.  A  little  later  Mambrino  Chief  11  was  foaled  in 
1844,  and  five  years  later,  in  1849,  Hambletonian  10  was 
born. 

It  is  seen  that  about  the  middle  of  the  past  century 
the  leading  families  of  the  Standardbred  trotter  had  their 
inception,  and  the  breed  began  to  assume  formation  on 
this  continent,  for  the  chief  families,  the  Canadian  Pilots 
and  others  of  that  nationality,  the  Morgans,  the  Clays, 
the  Mambrino  Chiefs  and  the  Hambletonians,  were  mak- 
ing it  evident  that  there  were  certain  blood  lines  more 
prolific  than  others  in  producing  trotting  speed. 

91.  Early  trotting  records.  —  The  first  trotting  per- 
formance in  America  of  which  we  have  record  is  that  of 
Yankee,  at  Harlem,  New  York,  July  6,  1806,  when  a  little 
less  than  a  mile  was  trotted  in  2  :  50.  In  1859,  Ethan  Allen, 
of  the  Morgan  line,  trotted  against  Flora  Temple,  when 
the  latter  trotted  a  mile  in  2 : 25.  In  the  same  year, 
George  M.  Patchen  beat  Ethan  Allen  in  2 : 24,  and  in 
turn  was  beaten  by  Flora  Temple  in  2 :  21.  Dexter,  which 
began  his  racing  career  in  1864,  defeated  George  Wilkes 
in  2 : 22|.  According  to  official  records,  Lady  Suffolk 


86  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

was  the  first  to  trot  below  2 :  30,  in  1845,  when  she  won 
a  heat  in  a  race  in  2 : 29f ;  Pelham,  breeding  unknown, 
in  1849  reduced  this  to  2  :  28 ;  Highland  Man,  of  Thorough- 
bred breeding,  in  1853  reduced  it  to  2  :  27 ;  Flora  Temple 
reduced  this  several  times,  finally  bringing  it,  in  1859,  to 
2 : 19f ;  in  1867,  Dexter  reduced  it  to  2  :  17| ;  and  then 
Goldsmith  Maid  continued  lowering  it  until  1874,  when, 
going  against  time,  she  made  a  mile  in  2  :  14. 

92.  The  trotting  register.  —  About  this  tune  the 
greatest  interest  was  being  taken  in  trotting  races  and 
trotting  families,  and  it  was  further  added  to  by  the  found- 
ing and  compiling  of  the  American  Trotting  Register  by 
John  Henry  Wallace,  which  was  begun  about  1865.  Wal- 
lace's Monthly  and  the  Yearbook  also  gave  a  great  im- 
petus to  the  study  of  the  pedigrees  of  the  Standardbred 
horse,  and  out  of  the  racing  and  the  data  collected  grew 
the  enthusiasm  for  better  breeding. 

It  was  not  until  Volume  IV  of  the  Trotting  Register 
was  published  that  the  entries  of  stallions  were  made 
numerically.  For  that  volume  a  standard  was  prepared 
in  which  performance  was  given  precedence  and  pedigree 
a  minor  place.  Under  this  standard,  Volumes  IV  to  VII, 
inclusive,  were  compiled.  Various  changes  were  made, 
from  time  to  time,  until  we  now  have  the  following  stand- 
ard, as  revised  and  adopted  by  the  American  Trotting 
Register  Association,  to  take  effect  November  1,  1898: 

"  When  an  animal  meets  these  requirements  and  is 
duly  registered,  it  shall  be  accepted  as  a  Standardbred 
trotter. 

"  (1)  The  progeny  of  a  registered  standard  trotting 
horse  and  a  registered  standard  trotting  mare. 

"  (2)  A  stallion  sired  by  a  registered  standard  trotting 
horse,  provided  his  dam  and  granddam  were  sired  by 


THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES       87 

registered  standard  trotting  horses,  and  he  himself  has  a 
trotting  record  of  2 : 30  and  is  the  sire  of  three  trotters 
with  records  of  2 :  30  from  different  mares. 

"  (3)  A  mare  whose  sire  is  a  registered  standard  trotting 
horse  and  whose  dam  and  granddam  were  sired  by  regis- 
tered standard  trotting  horses,  provided  she  herself  has  a 
trotting  record  of  2  :  30  or  is  the  dam  of  one  trotter  with  a 
record  of  2  :  30. 

"  (4)  A  mare  sired  by  a  registered  standard  trotting 
horse,  provided  she  is  the  dam  of  two  trotters  with  records 
of  2 : 30. 

"  (5)  A  mare  sired  by  a  registered  standard  trotting 
horse,  provided  her  first,  second  and  third  dams  are  each 
sired  by  a  registered  standard  trotting  horse." 

To  assist  still  further  in  the  establishment  of  a  breed, 
the  Register  Association  has  made  known  (February  5, 
1908)  a  contemplated  change  in  the  requirements  for 
admission  to  the  standard,  looking  to  the  elimination  of 
all  the  foregoing  rules  except  rule  number  one. 

93.  Influence  of  the  standard. — 'At  first,  the  impor- 
tance of  the  standard,  both  as  to  performance  and  pedi- 
gree, had  an  undue  influence.  If  a  horse  was  standard  it 
was  thought  that  that  was  all  that  was  necessary,  and  if  a 
sire  succeeded  in  piling  up  a  large  2 :  30  list  that  was  later 
considered  the  sum  total.  Now  breeders  are  also  con- 
sidering the  fact  that  a  performance  of  2 : 30,  with  im- 
proved tracks,  sulkies  and  appliances,  does  not  mean 
much,  and  they  are  considering  the  amount  of  extreme 
speed  as  a  very  desirable  quality,  with  a  long  line  of  pro- 
ducing lineage  in  the  pedigree.  At  this  point,  the  impor- 
tance of  the  breeding  of  the  dam  and  her  value  as  a 
producer  of  speed  entered  into  the  operations  of  most  breed- 
ing farms.  In  conjunction  with  this,  the  money-making 


88  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

value  of  colt  trotters,  because  of  the  large  stakes,  began  to 
receive  more  attention.  Breeders  also  began  to  find  out 
that  a  horse  might  be  a  fine  "  looker  "  and  at  the  same 
time  a  good  race  horse  or  a  getter  of  fine  "  lookers  "  and 
race  horses. 

This  brings  us  down  to  the  present  era,  during  which 
the  modern  breeder  seeks  performance,  individuality  and 
pedigree,  and  it  is  all  traceable  to  the  several  stages  of 
evolution  through  which  the  breed  has  gone.  To  guide 
the  beginner  in  breeding,  it  may  be  said  that  nearly  all 
the  families  must  necessarily  be  embraced  in  up-to-date 
breeding  operations,  for  the  history  of  the  breed  will  show 
that  they  nearly  all  have  desirable  qualities  that  should 
be  apparent  in  the  modern  representation  of  the  Standard- 
bred  horse. 

94.  Families.  —  The    origin    and    importance    of   the 
heads  of  the  several  prominent  trotting  families  has  been 
discussed  above.     It  remains  only  to  call  attention  to  the 
notable  horses  of  each  family. 

95.  The    Hambletonian    family,    through    the    male 
line,  includes  the  following  sons  of   Hambletonian   10, 
(1)  Electioneer,  the  sire  of   many  producing  sons.     In 
summing  up  the  standing  of  the  families  in  regard  to  the 
production  of  colt  trotters,  Volunteer,  in  a  very  able  tab- 
ulation,1 gives  Electioneer  second  place  to  George  Wilkes, 
with  thirty-three  sires  and  seventy-one  performers. 

(2)  George  Wilkes,  the  sire  of  many  notable  producing 
sons  and  the  champion  trotting  stallion,  in  1 868-7 1 .     In  the 
production  of  colt  trotters,  Volunteer  gives  this  sire  first 
place,  with  forty-seven  sires  and  ninety-eight  performers. 

(3)  Abdallah  15,  and  sire  of  many  notable  producing 
sons.    Nutwood,  son  of  Abdallah,  leads  all  other  sires  as 

1  Horse  Review,  January  28,  1908. 


THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES       89 

sire  of  producing  brood  mares.  This  line  has  been  notable 
for  the  production  of  campaigners  and  race  horses  rather 
than  for  colt  trotters,  although  Volunteer  ranks  it  among 
Hambletonian  10's  sons,  with  ten  sires  and  sixteen  per- 
formers. Goldsmith  Maid,  2 : 16f ,  of  this  strain,  the 
champion  trotter  in  1871-72,  and  again  in  1874,  when  she 
reduced  her  record  to  2 :  14,  has  been  conceded  to  be  the 
greatest  campaigner  of  any  time. 

(4)  Happy  Medium,   ranks   seventh   among  Hamble- 
tonian 10's  sons,  with  two  sires  and  six  performers. 

(5)  Dictator.     In  the  production  of  colt  trotters,  the 
writer,  Volunteer,  in  reference  already  given,  places  Dictator 
fourth  as  his  rank  among  the  sons  of  Hambletonian  10, 
with  six  sires  and  sixteen  performers. 

(6)  Strathmore.     This  line  ranks  very  high  in  producing 
brood  mares. 

Among  other  noted  sons  of  Hambletonian  10  are  Egbert, 
Aberdeen,  Harold  (sire  of  Maud  S,  2 : 08f,  champion 
trotter  1883-5,  and  sire  of  Lord  Russell,  sire  of  Kremlin, 
2 : 08},  champion  stallion  in  1892) ;  Volunteer  (sire  of 
St.  Julien,  2:11},  champion  trotter  in  1880);  Jay 
Gould,  champion  stallion  in  1871-2.  The  Hambletonian 
family  as  a  whole  is  given  first  place  by  Volunteer  for 
siring  colt  trotters,  with  106  sires  of  223  performers  to  its 
credit. 

96.  The  Mambrino  chief  family,  through  the  male  line, 
includes  the  following  sons  of  Mambrino  Chief  II.  ' 

(1)  Woodford  Mambrino.     A  striking  feature  of  this 
line  is  the  purity  of  the  trotting  gait,  for  there  are  but  few 
pacers  among  them. 

(2)  Mambrino  Patchen.    This  line  has  a  reputation,  to 
which  it  is  entitled,  for  having  in  its  ranks  a  large  num- 
ber of  producing  brood  mares.    Many  noted  stallions, 


90  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

sons  of  George  Wilkes,  have  Mambrino  Patchen  dams,  a 
blend  that  has  been  prolific  in  speed. 

(3)  Clark  Chief. 

(4)  Mambrino  Pilot. 

97.  The  Clay  family  is  generally  considered  to  start 
with  Henry  Clay,  but  it  really  traces  back  through  the 
male  line  to  Grand  Bashaw,  imported  in  1820  from  Tripoli. 
The  latter  was  fourteen  and  one-fourth  hands  high,  but 
was  reputed  to  be  a  horse  of  beauty  and  some  speed  for 
those  early  days.     Grand  Bashaw  was  bred  to  Pearl  by 
First  Consul  out  of  Fancy  by  Messenger,  and  from  this 
union  resulted  Young  Bashaw,  the  sire  of  Andrew  Jack- 
son.    Andrew  Jackson  was  a  trotter  of  note  in  his  day, 
especially  as  a  two-miler.    The  Long  Island  Black  Hawk 
line  has  given  us  Bashaw  50,  and  Wapsie.     Bashaw  50  is 
the  sire  of  the  dam  of  Joe  Young,  2 :  18.     Henry  Clay 
sired  Cassius  M.  Clay  18,  which  sired  George  M.  Patchen, 
2 : 23|,  champion  trotting  stallion  in  1859-60,  and  sire  of 
four  trotters.     Perhaps  the  most  prolific  speed  line  comes 
through  Cassius  M.  Clay  20,  a  son  of  Cassius  M.  Clay 
18,  for  Harry  Clay,  2 : 29,  with  four  trotters  in  the  list 
and  sire  of  the  dam  of  Electioneer,  is  by  C.  M.  Clay  20,  and 
Clay  Pilot  is  also  by  the  latter.    This  family  attains  its 
notoriety  most  largely  through  the  remarkably  great  brood 
mares  that  are  of  this  descent,  among  which  may  be  men- 
tioned Green  Mountain  Maid  (by  Harry  Clay),  dam  of 
nine  trotters,  including  Electioneer  and  Beautiful  Bells, 
dam  of  eleven  trotters  and  eight  producing  sires. 

98.  The  Morgan  family  takes  its  name  from  Justin 
Morgan  by  True  Briton  by  Imported  Traveller  by  Mor- 
ton's Traveller,  which  traces  in  near  and  direct  lines  to 
the  Byerly  Turk,  Curwen's  Bay  Barb,  the  Lowther  Barb, 
Bloody  Buttocks  and  the  Godolphin  Arabian.     In  his 


THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES       91 

book,  published  in  1857,  D.  C.  Lindsley  describes  Justin 
Morgan  as  about  fourteen  hands  high  and  weighing  950 
pounds.  His  color  was  dark  bay,  with  black  points.  He 
was  a  very  stylish  horse,  of  indomitable,  though  easily 
controllable  spirit.  The  three  sons  of  Justin  Morgan 
that  were  most  prolific  as  sources  of  trotters  were  Sher- 
man, Woodbury  and  Bulrush.  Sherman  sired  Black 
Hawk  5,  the  sire  of  Ethan  Allen,  2  :  28,  champion  trotting 
stallion  in  1858.  Ethan  Allen  sired  Daniel  Lambert. 
Black  Hawk  5  also  sired  King  Herod,  sire  of  Herod,  2  :24^. 

From  the  Bulrush  line  comes  Old  Morrill,  sire  of  Young 
Merrill,  sire  of  Winthrop  Morrill.  The  other  son  of 
Justin  Morgan,  namely,  Woodbury,  sired  Morgan  Eagle, 
whose  son  of  the  same  name  got  Magna  Charta.  Woodbury 
also  sired  Barnard  Morgan,  which  in  turn  sired  Vermont 
Morgan,  sire  of  Golddust,  the  founder  of  that  strain.  The 
fastest  trotters  of  the  Morgan  line  include  Lord  Clinton, 
2 :  08f,  Lamp  Girl  and  Ethel  Downs. 

While  the  Morgan  family  has  produced  considerable 
speed,  yet  its  popularity  is  based  chiefly  on  the  endurance, 
beauty  and  style  of  its  members  (Plate  IV) .  Pacers  are 
exceptionally  rare  among  them,  and  the  purity  of  their  action 
being  bold,  free  and  tireless,  is  perhaps  the  most  valuable 
attribute  of  the  family.  In  this  connection,  it  may  be  stated 
that  the  government,  having  recognized  the  tractable  and 
energetic  disposition  of  the  Morgans,  as  well  as  their 
well-established  reputation  for  endurance,  has  established 
a  breeding  station  in  Vermont  in  cooperation  with  the 
Vermont  Agricultural  Experiment  Station,  with  the  object 
of  "  saving  the  Morgan."  This  stud  is  headed  by  the 
stallion  General  Gates  by  Denning  Allen  (the  sire  of  Lord 
Clinton  2  :  08  J)  and  out  of  a  Thoroughbred  mare.  Car- 
mon,  the  stallion  at  the  head  of  the  stud  at  Fort  Collins, 


92  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Colorado,  in  the  efforts  to  establish  a  breed  of  American 
carriage  horses,  carries  some  Morgan  blood. 

The  blood  of  the  Morgan  horse  has  become  rather 
widely  scattered  over  America,  although  there  are  com- 
paratively few  Morgans  available.  Most  of  these  are 
found  in  New  England  and  other  eastern  states,  although 
there  are  pure-blooded  Morgans  in  parts  of  Iowa,  Indiana, 
Illinois,  Kentucky  and  Missouri.  The  American  Morgan 
Horse  Register  is  published  at  Middlebury,  Vermont. 

99.  The  Pilot  family  takes  its  name  from  old  Pilot,  a 
Canadian  pacer  from  near  Montreal,  afterwards  trained 
at  both  gaits.    After  passing  through  many  hands  and 
sojourning  in  Connecticut,  New  York,  and  Louisiana,  he 
reached  Kentucky  in  1832.    There  he  sired  Pilot  Jr.,  out 
of  a  mare  of  Thoroughbred  breeding.     He  sired  eight 
trotters  in  the  list,  but  his  blood  was  chiefly  valuable 
through  the  female  line  because  of  the  number  of  great 
brood  mares  he  sired.    Among  the  brood  mares  sired  by 
Pilot  Jr.,  Miss  Russell  is  most  noted. 

100.  Other  families.  —  In  addition  to  the  foregoing 
recognized  families,  there  are  a  number  of  others  that  have 
been  very  aptly  termed  the  submerged  families.    Many 
of  these  are  of  Thoroughbred  origin,  but  they  are  mostly 
descended    from    Canadian    pacers.    Among    those    of 
Thoroughbred  breeding  are  American  Star  14,  sire  of  the 
dams  of  Guy,  2 : 09J,  Dexter,  2 : 17J,  Robert  McGregor, 
2 : 17|,  Aberdeen  and  other  noted  sires.    The  Canadian 
pacing  families  are  discussed  in  more  detail  in  the  history 
of  the  Standardbred  pacing  horse. 

101.  Description.  —  There  are  many  pronounced  types 
among  the  Standardbred  trotting  horses  (Plate  III) .    Some 
are  speed  marvels,  as  Lou  Dillon,  slim,  graceful  and  of  high 
nervous  organization :  others  are  of  the  campaigner  type, 


THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES       93 

stronger-framed,  fuller-muscled,  of  larger  size,  with  control- 
lable disposition,  so  as  to  be  easily  rated,  and  of  remarkable 
strength  and  durability.  Of  such  is  Sweet  Marie.  The 
most  successful  blend  of  these  two  types  is  Cresceus,  both 
a  speed  marvel  and  a  campaigner.  A  pen  description 
of  him  would  embody  the  attributes  of  the  best 
type  so  far  evolved.  In  general,  such  a  horse  should  be 
about  sixteen  hands  high,  upstanding,  well  set  up,  and 
have  that  poise  of  body  which  horsemen  refer  to  when 
they  say  a  horse  is  "  above  himself/'  either  standing  or  in 
action.  The  head,  proportioned  evenly  with  the  other 
parts,  is  clean-cut  and  carried  high.  The  neck  has  length 
and  is  muscular,  making  a  noticeable  crest  in  the  stallion. 
The  shoulder  is  deep,  covered  with  muscle,  and  the  chest 
is  low  and  only  moderately  wide.  The  fore-leg  is  long 
from  elbow  to  knee,  and  short  from  knee  to  fetlock.  The 
knee  is  wide  in  front  and  sharp  behind,  and  the  tendon 
drops  from  there  almost  vertically  to  the  pastern.  The 
pasterns  slope  nicely,  and  the  feet,  both  before  and  behind, 
are  even  in  size,  moderately  large,  and  of  a  healthy,  oily 
color.  The  back  is  well  covered  with  muscle  and  is  round- 
ing, and  the  swelling  muscles  of  the  loin  cause  it  to  rise 
slightly ;  those  of  the  hindquarters  make  the  croup  plump 
and  the  quarters  full  and  deep.  The  leg  is  long  from  hip 
point  to  hock,  and  short  from  there  to  the  pastern.  The 
web  of  the  hock  is  thin  and  the  leg  below  decidedly  fluted. 
The  action  should  be  clean,  quick  and  frictionless.  Above 
all,  the  disposition  should  be  easily  controllable,  and  yet 
ever  ready  to  race  with  zest.  Good  weights  are  900 
pounds  for  a  mare  and  perhaps  1150  pounds  for  a  stallion. 
The  color  is  not  fixed,  but  brown  and  bay  are  very  common. 
102.  Uses  for  racing.  —  The  Standardbred  trotter 
occupies  a  position  about  equally  divided  between  pleas- 


94  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

ure  and  utility.  The  degree  to  which  the  trotter  em- 
braces the  former  field  depends  on  the  popularity  of  racing, 
both  in  the  circuits  and  for  matinee  purposes.  Trotting 
races  are  an  adjunct  of  nearly  every  county  fair,  and 
occupy  a  prominent  position  at  all  state  fairs.  However 
much  the  attendant  gambling  may  be  deplored,  the  fact 
remains  that  trotting  and  pacing  races  are  popular,  and 
they  also  assist  in  developing  a  speedier  and  more  durable 
breed  of  horses.  The  racing  is  under  the  jurisdiction  of 
the  National  Trotting  Association  and  the  American 
Trotting  Register  Association,  the  rules  governing  the 
races,  under  the  auspices  of  either,  being  almost  identical ; 
and  they  prevail  at  all  race  meetings  and  on  all  tracks 
over  which  officially  accepted  records  are  made. 

After  having  finished  their  racing  career  and  having 
lowered  their  records  so  that  their  money-winning  capacity 
is  reduced,  many  trotters  are  purchased  for  matinee  racing 
in  our  larger  cities.  This  sport  has  grown  in  popularity  to 
such  an  extent  that  a  National  League  of  Amateur  Driving 
Clubs  has  been  formed. 

103.  Use  as  a  roadster.  —  It  is  as  a  roadster  that  the 
trotting-bred  horse  is  most  useful.  This  demands  a  horse 
of  medium  height,  15.2  to  16  hands,  of  graceful  lines, 
without  the  least  tendency  to  coarseness  in  any  part. 
Quality  of  bone,  cleanness  of  limbs,  defined  tendons  and 
all  other  characteristics  that  forecast  durability,  should 
be  very  much  in  evidence.  With  it  all  there  is  a  refine- 
ment of  form  that  differentiates  this  type  from  the  coach 
or  heavy-harness  class.  Easy,  elastic  action  and  an  ever- 
present  willingness  to  cover  the  ground  in  jaunty  style 
are  desirable  characteristics.  At  an  early  day,  the 
Thoroughbred  was  recommended  strongly  for  crossing  on 
common  light  mares,  and  such  breeding  resulted,  in  many 


THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES       95 

instances,  in  roadsters  noted  for  their  ability  to  cover  long 
distances  at  the  trot,  and  to  continue  it  day  after  day. 
The  Morgan  horse,  however,  was  soon  recognized  as  the 
strain  possessing  the  highest  type  of  roadster  characteris- 
tics, chiefly  because  of  its  indomitable  perseverance  and 
endurance,  its  willingness,  and  the  style  and  buoyance 
with  which  it  stood  the  strain  of  continuous  road  riding. 
The  roadster,  in  addition  to  having  style,  action  and  dur- 
able individuality,  must  be  in  type  in  harmony  with  the 
light  harness  and  light,  easy-running  road  rigs  now  popu- 
lar. A  heavy,  slow,  but  maybe  stylish-moving  horse  is 
as  much  out  of  place  before  a  road  rig  as  a  slim  racer-like 
horse  would  be  in  heavy  harness.  While  there  are  many 
speedy  trotters  that  are  far  from  pleasurable  road  horses, 
because  the  ability  to  go  fast  for  a  short  distance  is  not 
the  chief  requirement  of  a  road  horse,  yet  the  result  of 
the  continuous  racing  which  the  trotter  has  undergone, 
undoubtedly  has  given  it  the  durability  and  the  "do  or 
die  "  spirit  that  is  a  valuable  attribute  of  the  roadster.  At 
this  day  some  speed  is  required  of  the  roadster. 

104.  Use  as  heavy-harness  horse.  —  Of  more  recent 
years,  attention  has  been  drawn  to  the  fact  that  some 
families  of  the  American  Standardbred  horse  have  shown 
marked  excellence  for  heavy-harness  use.  During  the 
time  when  the  horse-shows  were  perhaps  most  popular, 
about  1890,  the  breeding  of  the  trotting  horse  was  under 
a  depression.  For  that  reason,  many  stallions,  well  bred 
in  trotting  lines  but  of  heavy-harness  conformation  and 
action,  were  purchased  at  gelding  prices  and  shown  in 
heavy  harness  classes  at  the  leading  horse-shows.  Un- 
doubtedly they  may  properly  be  called  freaks,  for  they 
were  not  bred  for  this  purpose,  but  that  does  not  dispose 
of  the  worth  of  the  acquisition.  The  trotting-bred  heavy- 


96  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

harness  horse  and  high  stepper  became  a  strong  competi- 
tor of  the  Hackney,  and  in  some  instances  defeated  the 
latter  in  these  classes.  The  result  was  that  the  govern- 
ment realized  the  possibility  of  establishing  a  family  or,  in 
time,  a  breed  of  heavy-harness  horses  as  an  offshoot  of  the 
Standardbred  trotter.  The  Colorado  Experiment  Station 
conducted  the  work  under  the  auspices  of  the  Department 
of  Agriculture  at  Washington.  Carmon  32917,  a  grandson 
of  Robert  McGregor,  2 : 17J,  is  at  the  head  of  the  stud. 
Previous  to  purchase  by  the  government,  he  had  been  a 
prominent  winner  at  leading  horse-shows  in  the  harness 
classes  under  the  name  of  Glorious  Thunder  Cloud. 

105.  Use  for  breeding  "  cow  ponies."  —  At  this  point, 
to  indicate  further  the  versatility  of  the  Standardbred 
trotter,  it  will  not  be  out  of  place  to  mention  the  fact 
that  on  many  of  the  large  cattle  ranches,  where  "  cow 
ponies,"  as  they  are  called,  are  in  heavy  demand,  the 
Standardbred  trotter  is  being  used  as  a  sire  in  preference 
to  the  Thoroughbred.    The  reason  for  this  preference  was 
given  the  writer  to  be  the  better  disposition  of  the  Stand- 
ardbred as  compared  with  the  Thoroughbred,  said  to  be  a 
result  of  the  restraint  under  which  the  trotting  horse  has 
been  held,  and  the  necessity  of  a  trotter  having  a  control- 
lable disposition. 

106.  Distribution. — Other  governments  have  recognized 
the  worth  of  the  Standardbred  trotter,  for  recently  those  of 
Japan  and  China  have  made  large  importations.     Exten- 
sive sales  of  Standardbred  trotters  of  high  merit  have 
been  made  to  prominent  horse-lovers  and  breeders  in 
Russia,  France,  Austria,  Italy,  Germany,  England,  Aus- 
tralia and  the  South  American  countries. 

107.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  National  Trot- 
ting Association  was  organized  in  1870.    The  office  of  the 


THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES       97 

present  secretary  is  at  Hartford,  Conn.  The  American 
Trotting  Association  was  organized  in  1887,  and  has  head- 
quarters in  Chicago.  The  American  Trotting  Register 
appeared  in  1868,  with  J.  H.  Wallace  as  publisher.  The 
first  volume  contained  some  3000  entries ;  62,000  stallions 
and  about  250,000  mares  have  been  registered  to  date. 
Wallace  also  established  the  Yearbook,  now  in  its  thirtieth 
volume.  The  Register,  the  Yearbook,  and  Wallace's 
Monthly  were  disposed  of  by  Mr.  Wallace  to  the  American 
Trotting  Register  Association,  in  1891,  and  the  latter  now 
publishes  the  Register  and  the  Yearbook.  As  has  been 
said,  a  League  of  Amateur  Driving  Clubs  has  been  formed, 
with  headquarters  in  Boston.  This  league  publishes  a 
yearbook,  giving  a  summary  of  matinee  races  and  the 
time  made.  The  first  volume  includes  the  races  of  1901-2. 


THE  PACING  HORSE.     Fig.  14. 
By  John  A.  Craig 

108.  The  pacer  is  not  a  separate  and  distinct  breed  of 
horses.     The  name  is  applied  to  a  class  of  horses  that  are 
characterized  by  the  pacing  gait.     The  American  Stand- 
ardbred  trotting  horse  breed  is  the  most  potent  source  of 
pacers. 

109.  History  in  Europe.  —  From  the  earliest  writings 
referring  to  horses  and  from  the  earliest  representations 
of  them  in  sculptured  frieze,  we  learn  that  pacing  or 
ambling  was  a  gait  common  to  the  horse  in  earliest  times. 
This  gait  is  shown  in  Greek  sculpture  and  referred  to  in 
the  publications  of  some  of  the  earliest  writers  in  Spain, 
Great  Britain  and  America.     It  is  unnecessary  here  to 
recount  these  early  references,  for  they  are  accessible  in 


98  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

nearly  every  work  devoted  to  the  horse ;  and  it  is  equally 
unnecessary  to  attempt  to  locate  the  origin  of  the  gait, 
for  there  is  no  feature  connected  with  the  history  of  the 
horse  that  depends  more  on  legendary  lore  than  this. 
Suffice  it  to  say  that  in  Spain,  where  the  saddle  horse  as  a 
pack  animal  and  for  traveling  was  much  in  vogue,  the 
pacing  or  ambling  gait  was  considered  a  very  necessary 
attribute ;  and  the  same  is  true  in  perhaps  a  lesser  degree 
when  the  early  history  of  the  pacer  in  Great  Britain  is 
considered. 

110.  History  in  America.  —  It  is  in  America  in  colonial 
days  that  the  pacer  in  the  New  England  states  seemed  to 
reach  the  highest  point  of  utility;  from  there  and  from 
Canada  the  pacer  seems  to  have  spread.  The  Narragan- 
sett  pacer  of  Rhode  Island  attained  a  wide  notoriety  over 
the  New  England  states  in  colonial  times,  but  with  the 
improvement  of  roads  and  the  abandonment  of  horse- 
back riding  for  long-distance  traveling,  this  strain  became 
extinct.  Whether  or  not  it  drifted  over  into  Canada  and 
formed  the  foundation  for  the  remarkable  number  of 
pacers  common  to  the  Province  of  Quebec,  is  not  definitely 
known,  nor  is  there  any  other  satisfactory  supposition  as  to 
the  origin  of  the  Canadian  pacing  families.  It  would 
seem  more  plausible  to  account  for  the  Canadian  pacers 
in  this  way  than  to  accredit  them  to  French  origin,  for 
they  were  very  dissimilar  to  the  French  horses  of  that 
time  in  their  characteristics. 

The  theory  that  the  French-Canadian  pacer  is  an  off- 
shoot of  the  Thoroughbred  has  also  been  advanced  and  in 
some  instances  it  may  be  proved,  but  in  most  instances 
the  originator  of  the  strain  was  by  a  Thoroughbred  out 
of  a  pacing  mare.  Again,  it  has  been  asserted  that  the 
French-Canadian  horse  is  a  descendant  of  the  French 


THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES       99 

Percheron,  reduced  in  size  by  the  more  rigorous  conditions 
of  climate.  This  seems  to  the  writer  the  most  untenable 
of  all  the  theories.  Long  observation  of  the  more  com- 
mon types  prevalent  among  the  French-Canadian  people, 
and  attendance  at  their  winter  ice-racing,  where  the 
most  of  those  with  speed  would  congregate,  substan- 
tiate the  writer's  opinion.  In  all  its  characteristics  the 
French-Canadian  comes  nearer  the  Morgan  in  some  traits 
and  nearer  the  Thoroughbred  in  others,  than  those  of  any 
other  breed  or  family.  While  like  the  Morgan  in  type 
and  style  of  going  when  trotting,  yet  it  must  be  admitted 
there  are  very  few  pacers  among  the  Morgans.  Also,  not 
many  of  the  Thoroughbreds  pace  unless  there  is  a  strain 
of  pacing  through  the  dam's  side.  The  French-Canadian 
families,  especially  those  showing  inclinations  to  pace, 
although  most  of  them  were  double-gaited,  have  in  time 
become  submerged  in  the  foundation  of  other  families 
which  are  now  of  most  prominence.  Among  the  Canadian 
families  of  early  origin,  the  most  noted  spring  from  Copper- 
bottom,  Pilot,  Daniel  Boone,  Drennon,  Davy  Crockett, 
Corbeau,  St.  Lawrence,  St.  Clair.  Of  those  of  more  dis- 
tinctly Thoroughbred  origin,  might  be  mentioned  Smug- 
gler, Clear  Grit,  Uwharie  and  Hiatogas,  while  perhaps  the 
two  most  noted  of  all,  the  Hals,  springing  from  Tom  Hal 
in  Tennessee  and  Blue  Bull  in  Indiana,  had  their  origin 
so  shrouded  in  misty  legend  that  it  is  not  even  advisable 
to  speculate  on  it.  From  all  that  we  know,  it  may  be  safe 
to  assume  that  the  Thoroughbred  horse  has  had  as  much 
to  do  with  the  evolution  of  the  pacer  as  any  other  up  to 
the  time  of  the  introduction  of  the  standards,  although 
we  have  to  admit  that  there  seems  to  have  been  an  original 
stock  on  which  the  Thoroughbred,  as  a  scion,  was  grafted 
with  more  or  less  success. 


100  THE  BEEEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

The  Copperbottoms  and  Pilots  made  a  reputation  in 
Kentucky  at  an  early  time;  the  Columbus  family  did 
the  same  in  New  England,  the  St.  Glairs  in  California, 
the  St.  Lawrences  in  Michigan,  the  Blue  Bulls  in  Indiana 
and  Ohio,  the  Hiatogas  in  Virginia,  and  the  Hals  in 
Tennessee.  While  all  these  were  in  a  general  way  known 
as  pacers,  yet  with  most  of  them  the  gait  was  interchange- 
able, and  many  of  them  could  trot  as  fast  as  they  could 
pace,  and  very  few  of  them  sired  a  majority  of  pacers. 
As  might  be  expected,  the  fastest  of  their  get  were  pacers, 
and  those  made  the  reputation  of  the  sire,  while  as  a 
matter  of  fact  that  sire  would  be  getting  mostly  trotters. 
For  example,  Blue  Bull,  a  fast  pacer  himself  and  a  getter 
of  some  fast  pacers,  sired  fifty-six  trotters  out  of  a  total  of 
sixty  of  his  in  the  list.  So  also  with  many  of  the  others, 
with  the  notable  exception  of  the  Hal  family.  This  is  the 
leading  family  of  pacers  that  is  justly  entitled  to  be  called 
a  family  of  pacers,  and  the  writer  does  not  know  of  any 
other  like  it,  pacing  in  origin  and  breeding  on  at  the  pac- 
ing gait. 

111.  Present  position  of  the  pacer.  —  What  has  been 
written  may  enable  the  reader  to  understand  the  position 
of  the  pacer  in  the  earliest  days.  But  to  explain  the  posi- 
tion in  our  own  day  is  almost  beyond  the  possibilities  of 
the  most  earnest  student,  so  intertwined  in  breeding  and 
development  are  the  trotting  and  pacing  gaits.  When 
the  standard  for  Standardbred  horses  was  established, 
pacers  and  trotters  came  in  on  almost  equal  footing.  At 
the  races,  too,  trotters  and  pacers  at  that  time  mostly 
competed  on  equal  footing,  many  of  the  purses  being  open- 
class  for  trotters  or  pacers.  It  was  soon  found  that  the 
pacers  were  naturally  faster  than  the  trotters,  for  they 
would  win  most  of  the  races  when  both  competed  on 


THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES       101 

equal  footing.  The  craze  for  speed  and  the  desire  to  put 
the  get  of  stallions  in  the  list,  increased  the  popularity  of 
the  pacer  at  a  bound. 

It  was  found,  too,  that  it  was  a  very  easy  matter  to 
change  the  gait  of  most  horses  from  trotting  to  pacing, 
especially  with  the  use  of  hobbles  or  hopples,  as  they  are 
interchangeably  designated.  This  leads  us  to  say  that 
the  difference  in  the  gaits  is  simply  that  in  the  pacer  the 
two  legs  on  the  same  side  move  together,  while  in  the 
trotter  the  movement  is  diagonal.  By  putting  a  horse 
in  hobbles,  he  must  either  pace  or  break  the  hobbles, 
which  are  so  strong  as  to  be  almost  unbreakable,  or  be 
thrown.  Hobbles  have  been  permitted  in  races,  but 
owing  to  the  danger  to  the  driver  if  any  entanglement 
occurs,  they  have  not  become  popular  except  to  keep 
horses  that  show  a  tendency  to  pace  at  that  gait  or  train 
them  until  they  can  do  without  them.  At  its  meeting  on 
February  5,  1908,  the  American  Trotting  Register  Asso- 
ciation adopted  a  resolution  against  the  use  of  hobbles. 
It  was  found  that  a  change  in  the  shoeing,  such  as  shoeing 
very  light  all  round,  would  encourage  a  horse  to  pace; 
and  even  the  shifting  of  the  bit  may  accomplish  the 
same  purpose. 

After  the  craze  for  speed  at  any  cost  had  subsided  some- 
what, and  a  different  time  limit  been  set  for  the  pacer 
before  he  could  become  standard,  the  winnings  possible 
for  green  trotters  increased,  and  with  that  the  purses  and 
colt  stakes  for  trotters  were  augmented  so  that  trotting  as 
a  part  of  the  sport  of  racing  became  again  more  than  on  a 
par  with  pacing.  The  pacing  standard  now  in  force  is 
appended.  It  should  be  said  that  it  is  identical  with  the 
trotting  standard  except  that  the  word  "  pacer  "  is  sub- 
stituted for  the  word  "  trotter  "  and  the  word  "  pacing  " 


102  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

for  the  word  "  trotting/'  and  the  speed  standard  is  changed 
from  2  :  30  to  2  :  25 ;  furthermore,  Rule  6  is  an  addition. 

112.  The  pacing  standard.  —  "  When  an  animal  meets 
these  requirements  and  is  duly  registered,  it  shall  be  ac- 
cepted as  a  Standardised  pacer : 

"  (1)  The  progeny  of  a  registered  standard  pacing  horse 
and  a  registered  standard  pacing  mare. 

"  (2)  Any  stallion  sired  by  a  registered  standard  pacing 
horse,  provided  his  dam  and  granddam  were  sired  by 
registered  standard  pacing  horses  and  he  himself  has  a 
pacing  record  of  2 : 25  and  is  the  sire  of  three  pacers  with 
records  of  2 : 25  from  different  mares. 

"  (3)  A  mare  whose  sire  is  a  registered  standard  pacing 
horse  and  whose  dam  and  granddam  were  sired  by  regis- 
tered standard  pacing  horses,  provided  she  herself  has  a 
pacing  record  of  2 : 25  or  is  the  dam  of  one  pacer  with  a 
record  of  2  :  25. 

"  (4)  A  mare  sired  by  a  registered  standard  pacing  horse, 
provided  she  is  the  dam  of  two  pacers  with  records  of 
2:25. 

"  (5)  A  mare  sired  by  a  registered  standard  pacing 
horse,  provided  her  first,  second  and  third  dams  are  each 
sired  by  a  registered  standard  pacing  horse. 

"  (6)  The  progeny  of  a  registered  standard  trotting 
horse  out  of  a  registered  standard  pacing  mare,  or  of  a 
registered  standard  pacing  horse  out  of  a  registered  stand- 
ard trotting  mare." 

113.  Families.  —  Among    the    modern    Standardbred 
horses  it  is  not  possible  to  separate  the  families  into  those 
that  pace  as  a  family  characteristic,  and  those  that  trot. 
The  Hal  family  is  composed  most  distinctly  of  pacers, 
for  Tom  Hal  Jr.  has  fourteen  in  the  list,  all  pacers,  while 
Brown  Hal,  one  son,  has  seventy-eight,  all  pacers.     The 


THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEDS  OF  HORSES       103 

latter  has  two  noted  sons,  Star  Pointer,  with  fifteen  in 
the  list,  all  pacers,  and  Hal  Dillard,  with  forty-two  in  the 
list,  only  three  of  which  are  pacers.  In  some  instances 
there  is  a  union  of  one  of  the  leading  families  with  the  Hal 
strain  which  produces  pacers  consistently.  For  instance, 
Direct,  2 : 05j,  of  the  Dictator  family  is  a  pacer  and  has 
sired  forty-two  pacers  and  thirty-seven  trotters.  He 
sired  Direct  Hal  p.,  2 : 04|,  a  leading  sire  of  pacers, 
and  a  most  successful  campaigner.  While  some  of  the 
families  of  Standardbreds  show  a  stronger  tendency  to 
trot  than  to  pace,  the  reverse  is  not  common,  although  it 
is  possible  that  in  time  this  may  result,  as  it  is  ostensibly 
the  aim  to  establish  two  separate  standards.  The  cham- 
pion pacing  stallion,  Dan  Patch,  1 : 55i,  is  sired  by 
Joe  Patchen,  a  noted  race  horse  and  a  pacer,  sired 
by  Patchen  Wilkes  of  the  George  Wilkes-Mambrino- 
Patchen  cross;  and  the  dam  of  Joe  Patchen  was  by  Joe 
Young  of  Morgan  breeding.  The  dam  of  Dan  Patch  was 
Zelicia  by  Wilkesberry,  which  was  a  Wilkes  on  his  sire's 
side  and  a  Clay  on  his  dam's.  There  is  very  little  of 
what  might  be  called  pacing  blood  in  her  pedigree,  although 
the  Wilkes  strain  and  the  Abdallah  15  strain  have  pro- 
duced many  fast  pacers.  On  the  other  hand,  Lou  Dillon, 
a  champion  trotter,  1 : 58  J,  comes  as  near  being  of  a 
pacing  line  through  her  sire  as  almost  any  noteworthy 
pacer.  At  present  it  does  not  seem  likely  that  the 
pacing  families  will  become  separate  from  the  trotting 
families. 

114.  Description.  —  It  was  a  prevalent  opinion  some 
years  ago  that  there  was  a  type  evolving  among  pacers, 
but  this  has  been  largely  dispelled.  Dan  Patch  (Fig.  14) 
is  as  smooth  and  graceful  in  line  of  mold  as  it  would  be 
possible  to  conceive  an  ideal,  and  Joe  Patchen  is  con- 


104 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


sidered  among  horse-lovers,  no  matter  what  their  prefer- 
ence as  to  breed,  as  being  very  nearly  a  model  in  finish, 
symmetry  and  style.  So  many  old-time  pacers  were 
steep  in  the  hindquarters  and  some  crooked  in  the  hocks 
and  pitched  forward,  that  it  became  the  opinion  of  a  co- 
terie that  a  pacing  type 
was  being  evolved. 
Time  demonstrated 
with  the  pacer  as 
with  the  trotter,  that 
symmetry  and  grace- 
ful lines  and  style 
in  action  or  repose 
were  not  opposed  to 
speed. 

115.  Uses  of  the 
pacer.  —  For  racing 
purposes  the  pacer 
cannot  be  said  to 
equal  the  trotter  as  a 

money-maker,  as  the  purees  are  not  generally  so  large; 
and  the  colt  stakes  for  the  trotters  are  also  large.  For 
road  purposes  in  general,  the  pacer  is  not  so  popular  as 
the  trotter,  although  for  matinee  uses  it  is  held  in  high 
favor.  For  the  speedway,  the  pacer  is  decidedly  popular 
for  several  reasons.  One  is  that  in  brushing,  a  pacer  can 
get  away  quicker  than  a  trotter ;  and  usually,  also,  it  is 
the  faster  gait.  Pacing  is  an  easier  gait,  and  in  pacing 
a  horse  does  not  strike  the  pavement  so  hard,  a  matter 
of  some  consideration  on  hard  roads.  For  usage  on  com- 
mon roads  or  in  snow,  the  pacer  cannot  be  said  to  be  as 
popular  as  the  trotter.  The  pacer  has  not,  as  a  rule,  so 
evenly  rated  a  gait  as  the  trotter.  Very  often  it  is  a  slow 


FIG.    14.  —  Standardbred  pacing  stallion. 


THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES       105 

amble  or  full  speed.  However,  many  pacers  jog-trot,  and 
when  forced  to  full  speed  at  a  trot  strike  into  a  pace  when 
urged  to  do  more. 

It  is  considered  by  some  persons  that  the  pace  is  an 
ungainly  gait,  but  it  is  to  be  remembered  that,  like  all 
other  gaits,  there  is  a  difference  in  the  classes  of  it.  Some 
horses  pitch  in  such  a  way  as  to  be  lumbering  in  gait, 
but  others  go  as  true  and  as  frictionless  as  the  piston  of 
an  engine.  Again,  for  road-riders,  the  pacer  does  not 
develop,  as  a  rule,  into  a  puller,  which  is  sometimes  so 
true  of  the  trotter.  While  the  pacing  gait  is  generally 
considered  to  be  the  faster  of  the  two  gaits,  five  seconds 
is  thought  to  about  express  the  difference  in  time.  The 
pacer,  as  a  rule,  needs  the  lighter  road  rig,  for  the  trotter 
seems  to  have  the  advantage  slightly  in  pulling  power. 

116.  Distribution.  —  From   the   New   England   states 
and  Canada,  especially  Quebec,  the  pacer  was  gradually 
scattered  all  over  America,  and  is  now  found  more  par- 
ticularly in  Tennessee,  Kentucky,  Ohio,  Missouri,  Cali- 
fornia and  Indiana. 

117.  Organizations    and   records.  —  The    same    regis- 
tries and  the  same  associations  look  after  the  interests  of 
the  pacers  as  those  that  have  the  Standardbred  trotter 
under  their  auspices. 

Literature.  —  Busby,  The  Trotting  and  Pacing  Horse  in  America, 
New  York  (1904) ;  Helm,  American  Roadsters  and  Trotting  Horses, 
Chicago  (1878);  Lindsley,  Morgan  Horses,  New  York  (1857); 
Lowe,  Breeding  Race  Horses  by  the  Figure  System,  New  York 
(1898) ;  Marvin,  Training  the  Trotting  Horse,  New  York  (1892) ; 
Merwin,  Road,  Track  and  Stable,  Boston  (1893) ;  Splan,  Life  with 
the  Trotters,  Chicago  (1889);  Woodruff,  The  Trotting  Horse  of 
America,  Philadelphia  (1868). 


106 


THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 


ORLOFF  HORSE.     Figs.  15,  16. 
By  Carl  W.  Gay 

118.  The  Russian  Orloff  takes  its  name  from  Count 
Alexis  Orloff,  who  founded  the  breed.     It  has  been  devel- 
oped in  Russia  as  a  light-harness  horse,  harness  racing 
being  extremely  popular  there  as  in  this  country. 

119.  History  in  Russia.  —  The  real  origin  of  the  Orloff 
was  in  the  gray  Arab  stallion  Smetanka  which  Count 
Orloff  secured  in  the  Orient.     He  was  mated  with  Thorough- 
bred mares  chiefly,  but  his  most  notable  son,  Polkan  I, 
was  out  of  a  Danish  mare.     Polkan  I  in  turn  sired  Bars 
I,  the  dam  of  whom  was  a  Dutch  mare,  described  as  having 
a  good  way  of  going  at  the  trot.     The  quarterbred  Bars 
I  was  bred  to  Thoroughbred  mares  and  many  of  his 
descendants  were  inbred.     Count  Orloff  began  his  work 

in  1777,  and  in  1845 
the  stud  which  had 
passed  to  his  daughter, 
and  consisted  of  21  stal- 
lions and  194  mares, 
was  taken  over  by  the 
Russian  government. 

120.  History  in 
America.  —  The  largest 
single  importation  of 
Orloffs  was  of  eighteen 
head  at  the  time  of  the 
World's  Columbian  Exposition,  where  they  were  shown. 
While  American  trotters  have  been  exported  to  Russia  in 
large  numbers  and  raced  successfully  there,  it  cannot  be 
said  that  there  has  been  any  reciprocal  favor  shown  for 


FIG.   15.  —  Orloff  stallion. 


THE  LIGHT-HARNESS  BREEDS   OF  HORSES       107 


the  Orloff  breed  in  this  country.  Only  a  comparatively 
few  individuals  have  been  imported  and  most  of  these 
have  been  used  as  heavy-harness  horses.  When  C.  K.  G. 
Billings  returned  from  Russia  with  his  wonderful  string 
of  world  record  trotters  in  1913,  it  was  reported  that  he 
brought  a  few  Orloff  mares  to  be  bred  to  The  Harvester. 

121.  Description.  —  The  Orloff  is  characterized  by  size 
and  substance  even  to  the  extent  of  being  somewhat  gross 
in    comparison    with 

our  American  trotters. 
They  usually  stand 
full  sixteen  hands  in 
height  and  frequently 
weight  1250  pounds. 
They  are  less  of  the 
extreme  speed  form 
than  our  trotters,  yet 
they  lack  the  rotund- 
ity, symmetry  and 
style  of  the  heavy- 
harness  breeds.  Orloffs  are  quite  regularly  gray  or  black, 
although  chestnuts  and  bays  are  not  at  all  uncommon 
(Figs.  15,  16). 

122.  Uses.  —  In  Russia,  the  only  country  in  which  the 
Orloffs  are  found  in  any  number,  these  horses  are  used  to 
the  three-horse  troika. 

123.  Organizations     and     records.  —  There      is     no 
American  Registry  Association  for  Orloffs,  their  foreign 
certificates    being    accepted    here.     Since    the    breed    is 
practically  controlled  by  the  Russian  government,  the 
official  register  is  the  Record  of  the  Imperial  Russian 
Horse  Breeding  Society. 


FIG.  16.  —  Orloff  mare. 


CHAPTER  IV 
THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HORSES 

SADDLE  horses  of  whatever  breeding  should  first  show 
their  ability  to  carry  weight,  in  short  backs,  closely  coupled, 
muscular  loins  and  comparatively  short,  stout  legs.  The 
feature  of  conformation  that  serves  to  distinguish  the 
saddle  horse  most  is  the  long  sloping  shoulder,  and  the 
consequent  high  withers  extending  well  back;  also  the 
long,  shapely,  supple  neck  so  essential  to  a  light  forehand. 
They  must  also  have  a  sure,  springy  step  and  a  collected 
way  of  going,  in  order  to  give  a  safe  and  satisfactory  ride. 

THOROUGHBRED  HORSE.    Plate  V.     Figs.  17-19. 
By  Carl  W.  Gay 

124.  The  term  Thoroughbred,  in  its  correct  application, 
is  restricted  to  designate  the  English  race  horse  or  runner, 
only.  The  incorrect  use  of  the  term,  as  synonymous  with 
pure-bred,  is  so  common  as  to  lead  to  much  confusion  and 
misunderstanding.  A  "  thoroughbred  "  trotter  would  be 
an  anomaly  and  a  "  thoroughbred  "  Percheron  impossible. 
When  it  is  intended  to  indicate  the  total  absence  of  alien 
blood,  pure-bred  is  the  proper  adjective.-  Thoroughbred 
is  a  noun. 

There  is  no  one  best  breed  of  horses,  but  because  of  a 
more  general  adaptability  to  a  wider  range  of  conditions 

108 


PLATE  V.  —  Breed  Types  of  Horses. 


THOROUGHBRED  STALLION. 


Cow  PONY  OR  BRONCO. 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  109 

and  a  consequent  broader  usefulness,  or  as  marking  some 
special  achievement  in  the  breeding  art,  we  may  justly 
assign  to  one  breed  more  importance  than  to  others. 
The  importance  of  the  Thoroughbred  is  attested  by  the 
following  facts :  It  was  the  first  breed  improved  and  the 
one  on  which  the  principles  of  breeding  have  been  most 
systematically  practiced ;  barring  the  Oriental,  from 
which  the  Thoroughbred  is  derived,  his  is  the  purest 
lineage  possessed  by  any  breed,  and  for  it  the  first  stud- 
book  for  the  recording  of  pedigrees  was  established; 
Thoroughbred  blood  has  been  most  freely  drawn  upon 
in  the  improvement  of  other  breeds  and  types  —  in  fact, 
there  is  scarcely  a  harness  or  saddle  horse  that  does  not 
owe  its  merit  indirectly  to  the  Thoroughbred  crosses  in 
its  ancestry;  the  Thoroughbred  has  been  a  most  impor- 
tant means  of  indulging  a  love  of  sport  on  the  turf  and 
in  the  field  for  three  centuries. 

125.  History  in  Great  Britain. — A  knowledge  of  the  early 
horse  history  of  Great  Britain  is  necessary  for  a  complete 
understanding  of  the  origin  of  the  Thoroughbred.  It  is 
interesting  to  note  first,  that  there  are  no  indications  of 
any  horses  having  been  indigenous  to  Britain,  although 
the  most  recent  researches  reported  by  Ridgeway  indi- 
cate that  horses  of  the  north  African  type  were  in 
Ireland  as  early  as  the  sixth  century.  The  horses  with 
which  Britain  was  first  stocked  are  generally  held  to 
have  been  derived  from  the  pony  types  native  to  northern 
Europe,  and  consequently  were  small  in  stature.  We 
know  that  the  first  efforts  at  improvement  were  in  the 
way  of  increasing  the  size.  The  Norsemen  were  the  first 
to  introduce  the  war  horse,  and  the  blood  of  Normandy 
and  Flanders  was  thereafter  drawn  on  in  an  attempt  to 
produce  horses  of  a  sufficient  size  and  strength  to  carry 


110  THE  BBEEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

an  armored  knight.  Among  other  edicts  enacted  in  the 
reign  of  Henry  VIII,  was  one  limiting  the  size  of  sires 
to  be  used  to  not  less  than  fourteen  hands. 

The  horse  as  a  feature  in  the  sports  of  the  times  is  first 
mentioned  in  the  latter  half  of  the  twelfth  century,  when 
races  of  a  primitive  character  and  mounted  sports  were 
conducted  at  Smithfield,  as  a  recreation  for  the  people. 
The  first  race  reported  was  run  between  Richard  II  and 
the  Earl  of  Arundel  in  1377.  Henry  VIII  was  the  first 
king  who  raced  horses  for  his  own  amusement.  In  1580, 
the  horses  of  Great  Britain  were  classified  by  Thomas 
Blundeville  as  follows  :  "  a  breed  of  Great  Horses  meete  for 
warre  and  to  serve  in  the  field,"  "ambling  horses  of  ameane 
stature  for  to  journey  and  travel  by  the  waie,"  "  a  race 
of  swift  runners  to  run  for  wagers  or  to  gallop  the  buck  " 
and  "  a  breed  only  for  draftes  or  burden."  It  is  important 
to  note  that  at  this  early  time  horses  were  extensively 
used  for  racing  and  hunting.  They  were  undoubtedly  the 
descendants  of  the  Barbs  and  Turks,  which  are  known  to 
have  been  in  Great  Britain  at  an  early  date,  the  Arab  not 
having  been  introduced  until  1616.  Racing  increased  in 
popularity  under  James  I,  who  imported  the  first  Arabian 
for  the  purpose  of  breeding  horses  of  greater  speed.  After 
the  example  of  James  I,  other  and  frequent  importations 
of  Arabians,  Barbs,  and  Turks  were  made  from  the  Orient 
and  Spain.  By  the  time  of  Charles  I,  the  sentiment  in 
favor  of  racing  had  become  so  strong  that  much  concern 
was  felt  for  the  defense  of  the  kingdom,  as  sp  little  atten- 
tion was  then  being  paid  to  the  production  of  the  Great 
or  War  horse. 

The  real  era  of  the  Thoroughbred  is  usually  dated  from 
the  time  of  Charles  II  (1660-1685).  He  not  only  took  an 
active  interest  in  racing,  but  imported  direct  from  the 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  111 

Levant.  His  most  notable  importation  was  of  the  Barb 
mares,  commonly  known  as  the  King's  or  Royal  mares, 
which  are  regarded  by  some  authorities  as  the  foundation 
dams  of  the  true  blood  horse.  Others,  however,  doubt 
the  accuracy  of  thus  limiting  the  base  of  the  breed. 

126.  Important  sires.  --The  three  most  important 
oriental  sires  in  the  foundation  of  the  Thoroughbred  were 
the  Darley  Arabian,  now  known  to  have  been  a  pure-bred 
Anazeh,  imported  in  1706;  the  Byerly  Turk,  imported 
in  1689 ;  and  the  Godolphin  Barb,  brought  in  1724  from 
Paris,  where  he  was  found  hauling  a  water-cart,  having 
been  discarded,  no  doubt,  by  some  member  of  the  royal 
family  to  whom  he  had  been  presented.  Eclipse,  the 
greatest  horse  of  his  kind,  is  a  direct  descendant  four 
generations  removed  from  the  Darley  Arabian,  as  were 
also  Blaze,  three  generations  removed,  the  foundation 
Hackney  sire,  and  Imported  Messenger,  six  generations 
removed,  the  foundation  American  trotter  sire.  From 
the  Byerly  Turk  comes  King  Herod,  another  noted  sire, 
while  Matchem,  a  great  race  horse  and  successful  sire, 
was  a  grandson  of  the  Godolphin  Barb.  Furthermore, 
Justin  Morgan,  who  shares  honors  with  Imp.  Messenger, 
already  referred  to  as  a  foundation  American  sire,  is  said 
to  be  a  direct  descendant  of  Godolphin  Barb.  It  is  claimed 
that  American  Thoroughbreds,  as  a  rule,  are  less  remote 
from  their  oriental  ancestry  than  the  average  English 
horse,  and  that  they  follow  more  closely  their  type. 

127.  Purpose  for  which  bred.  —  Thoroughbreds  have 
been  bred  for  nearly  three  centuries  under  a  most  rigid 
system  of  selection,  turf  performance  alone  being  the 
standard.  The  high  degree  of  equine  perfection  exempli- 
fied by  the  best  Thoroughbred  individuals,  as  well  as  the 
prominence  to  which  the  breed  has  attained,  can  be  at- 


112  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

tributed  in  large  part,  no  doubt,  to  the  fact  that  the  destiny 
of  the  Thoroughbred  has  been  cast  with  men  who  had  un- 
limited resources  on  which  to  draw. 

Time  and  altered  customs  have  wrought  important 
changes  in  the  system  under  which  these  horses  are  raced, 
with  some  corresponding  modification  in  type.  Whereas, 
up  to  1880  these  races  had  been  in  four-mile  heats,  the 
custom  now  is  to  run  dashes,  carry  less  weight,  and  start 
as  two-year-olds,  a  custom,  which,  like  the  horse,  has 
come  to  us  from  England.  The  wisdom  of  the  present 
course  is  doubted  by  some  who  hold  the  stamina  and 
weight-carrying  ability  of  the  old  four-milers  in  higher 
esteem  than  the  great  flights  of  extreme  speed  for  a  few 
furlongs,  shown  by  our  modern  sprinters.  Conflicting 
opinions  are  expressed,  too,  with  regard  to  the  probability 
of  these  twentieth-century  horses  being  capable  of  lower- 
ing the  distance-records  of  a  century  ago.  Those  who 
know,  however,  are  reluctant  to  admit  that  the  Thorough- 
bred of  to-day  is  a  degenerate  in  any  sense,  and,  in  support 
of  their  view,  they  maintain  that  in  olden  times  the  horses 
ran  but  a  few  races  a  year,  with  no  handicaps,  and  they 
were  especially  trained  for  each  race.  Against  this,  the 
modern  horse  is  credited  with  being  kept  in  racing  form 
nine  months  in  the  year,  running  many  races  in  a  single 
season,  and  these  closely  contested  because  of  the  number 
of  contestants  and  the  method  of  adjusting  handicaps. 

The  three  classic  events  run  in  England  are  the  Derby, 
the  St.  Leger  and  the  Oaks.  The  first  Derby  was  run 
May  4,  1780,  for  a  stake  valued  at  fifty  guineas,  open  to 
three-year-olds,  colts  to  carry  eight  stone,  fillies  seven 
stone  eleven  pounds,  over  a  distance  of  one  mile.  It  was 
won  by  Diomed.  The  first  and  only  American-bred  horse 
to  win  the  English  Derby  was  Iroquois,a  line  descendant  of 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  113 

Diomed,  racing  in  the  colors  of  Mr.  Pierre  Lorillard.  This 
horse,  the  same  season,  won  the  St.  Leger,  a  most  notable 
feat  in  view  of  the  fact  that  both  Derby  and  St.  Leger 
have  been  won  by  the  same  horse  but  nine  times  in  over 
a  century  of  racing. 

128.  History  in  America.  —  It  is  natural  that  this 
country  should  have  been  the  first,  after  England,  to  take 
up  the  Thoroughbred  and  systematically  breed  and  race 
him.  It  was  not  long  after  the  colonization  of  the  southern 
provinces  by  the  English  gentry  that  there  was  established 
an  American  turf  with  its  Thoroughbred  studs. 

In  connection  with  the  introduction  of  the  Thorough- 
bred into  America,  some  mention  of  the  so-called  native 
horses  should  be  made.  While  there  is  abundant  evidence 
in  the  wray  of  fossil  remains  of  the  presence  and  possibly 
the  evolution  of  a  prehistoric  horse  on  the  American  conti- 
nent, still  there  were  no  horses  of  any  description  found 
here  by  Columbus.  He  it  was  who  on  his  second  expedi- 
tion made  the  first  importation  of  which  we  have  any 
record.  These  horses  are  thought  by  some  to  have 
perished  soon  after  their  arrival,  while  other  authorities 
assert  that  they  eventually  gained  the  mainland  and  con- 
stitute a  part  of  our  foundation  stock.  Cortez,  in  his 
conquest  of  Mexico  in  1519,  is  credited  with  having  landed 
the  first  horses  on  American  soil.  In  1527,  Cabeza  de 
Vaca  brought  horses  to  St.  Augustine,  Florida,  which  were 
afterward  liberated.  Again,  horses  constituted  a  part  of 
the  equipment  of  De  Soto's  expedition  in  1541,  on  which 
he  discovered  the  Mississippi.  Thus  far  these  were  all 
Spanish  horses  of  oriental  extraction  —  the  same  original 
source  from  which  the  Thoroughbred  sprang.  In  1604, 
the  French  took  horses  into  Nova  Scotia,  and  four  years 
later  introduced  them  into  Canada.  Then  followed  the 


114  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

importation  of  one  stallion  and  six  mares  into  Virginia 
from  England.  Dutch  horses  arrived  at  New  Netherlands 
in  1625,  and  in  1629  the  first  horses  (Thoroughbreds)  to  in- 
habit New  England  arrived  at  Boston  from  England.  As 
early  as  1678,  there  ranged  over  parts  of  the  Mississippi 
valley  vast  bands  of  wild  horses,  the  descendants  of  those 
escaped  or  liberated  from  early  conquests  and  expeditions. 

In  view  of  the  character  of  the  early  settlers  of  Virginia, 
New  York  and  New  England,  respectively,  it  is  not  strange 
that  the  cradle  of  the  Thoroughbred  in  America  should 
have  been  in  Virginia.  Horse-racing  was  not  consistent 
with  the  Puritan  traditions  of  New  Englanders,  and  the 
Dutchman's  horse  in  New  York  was  essentially  a  beast  of 
burden.  It  remained,  therefore,  for  the  cavaliers  of 
Virginia,  North  Carolina  and  Maryland  to  become  sponsors 
for  this  horse,  which  was  later  to  play  such  an  important 
part  in  American  sporting  and  industrial  progress. 

The  first  race  horse  imported  to  America  is  thought  to 
have  been  Bulle  Rock,  son  of  the  Darley  Arabian,  brought 
into  Virginia  in  1730.  The  first  racing  organization  of 
which  we  have  record  was  formed  in  1760  at  Charleston, 
South  Carolina.  Subsequently  there  were  brought  over 
many  of  England's  best  horses,  the  most  notable  of  which 
was  Diomed,  winner  of  the  first  English  Derby.  This 
horse,  imported  when  twenty-one  years  old,  in  1798,  by 
Colonel  Hoomes,  much  against  the  advice  of  his  counselors, 
is  regarded  as  the  real  progenitor  of  the  American  race 
horse.  In  a  regular  line  of  descent  from  him  come  Sir 
Archy,  the  first  truly  American  Thoroughbred ;  Boston, 
his  grandson,  conceded  to  have  been  the  greatest  American 
race  horse;  and,  in  turn,  his  son,  Lexington,  a  scarcely 
less  remarkable  performer  than  Boston,  and  a  most  in- 
fluential sire,  especially  through  the  female  line,  in  the 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS   OF  HORSES  115 

American  Standardbred  and  Saddle  families,  as  well  as  of 
the  Thoroughbred. 

The  trend  of  Thoroughbred  sentiment  was  first  north- 
ward from  its  original  seat,  about  the  middle  of  the  eight- 
eenth century,  centering  later  about  the  Union  course  on 
Long  Island,  then  westward  into  Kentucky  and  Tennessee, 
where  the  first  race-course  was  established  at  Lexington, 
some  time  previous  to  the  organization  of  a  chartered  as- 
sociation in  1828.  The  environment  of  Kentucky  proved 
so  congenial  to  the  horses  bred  there,  that  it  soon  attained 
its  premier  position  among  the  horse-producing  states. 
Then,  in  the  natural  course  of  events,  some  of  the  best 
blood  of  Virginia  and  Kentucky  found  its  way  into  Cali- 
fornia, and  there  were  soon  founded  studs  which  later 
achieved  national  fame.  The  Civil  War  proved  a  serious 
set-back  to  the  breeding  operations  then  well  under  way, 
but  the  Thoroughbred  soon  recovered  from  this  inter- 
ruption, and  with  the  reestablishment  of  affairs  on  a  stable 
basis,  became  generally  distributed  throughout  the  length 
and  breadth  of  the  land.  He  is  still  most  extensively  bred 
in  those  regions  where  he  first  came  to  his  own.  Notable 
patrons  of  the  Thoroughbred  in  America  have  been  Wash- 
ington, Jackson,  Clay,  Jefferson  and  John  Randolph. 

129.  Description.  —  The  Thoroughbred  conforms  to 
and  is  the  truest  exponent  of  the  long,  lithe,  rangy,  deep, 
narrow,  angular  type  consistent  with  speed,  which  is  in 
such  striking  contrast  to  the  low,  broad,  compact  and  mas- 
sive form  significant  of  power  in  the  draft  horse.  It  is 
possible,  however,  to  enumerate  certain  characters  that 
are  more  particularly  and  distinctly  Thoroughbred  than 
the  type,  which  is  more  or  less  common  to  all  speed  horses. 
These  characters  are  derived  in  part  from  the  oriental 
progenitors,  while  some  may  be  regarded  as  strictly  Thor- 


116  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

oughbred  in  their  origin.  Most  characteristic  are  the 
extreme  refinement  and  clear  definition  of  features,  the 
small,  proportioned  head  and  ear,  the  straight  face  line, 
the  neat  throttle,  long  sloping  shoulders,  high  withers, 
muscular  quarters,  and  clean,  hard,  flat  bone.  These  are 
associated  with  a  low,  pointing,  close-to-the-ground  way 
of  going,  which  insures  the  greatest  stride  with  the  least 
effort.  Then,  in  addition  to  a  racy  form,  the  Thorough- 
bred has  a  racy  temperament,  possessing  a  most  highly 
organized  nervous  system.  The  characteristic  "  buck 
knees  "  are  all  too  commonly  noticeable  in  the  Thorough- 
bred, from  the  galloping  yearling  to  the  seasoned  cam- 
paigner. Another  objectionable  feature  frequently  noticed 
in  the  breed  is  the  tendency  towards  weediness,  as  it  is 
termed,  i.e.  long  legs  and  light  body.  The  prevailing 
colors  are  bay,  brown  and  chestnut,  with  one  or  more 
white  markings.  The  most  important  modification  in 
type  during  the  development  of  the  Thoroughbred  is  an 
increase  in  stature,  which  Sir  Walter  Gilbey  estimates 
to  have  been  one  hand  two  and  one-half  inches  from  the 
year  1700  to  the  year  1900,  the  average  height  of  the 
modern  Thoroughbred  being  fifteen  hands  two  and  one- 
half  inches.  The  average  weight  is  about  one  thousand 
pounds. 

130.  Technical  description.  —  A  detailed  description 
of  the  Thoroughbred  follows:  Weight,  900-1050; 
height,  fifteen  to  sixteen  hands;  color,  bay,  brown 
or  chestnut,  with  more  or  less  white  in  the  face  or  on 
limbs ;  a  very  "  breedy "  head,  with  sharply  defined 
features,  a  straight  face  line,  trim  muzzle,  large  nostril, 
full,  clear,  prominent  eye,  broad  forehead,  neat  ear 
and  clean-cut  throttle;  neck  long  and  rather  straight, 
giving  an  extended  carriage  of  the  head ;  shoulders  sloping 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HOESES 


117 


and  well  finished  at  the  withers;  strong  back,  loin  and 
coupling,  altogether  making  a  short  top-line  compared  to 
the  length  of  the  under-line,  although  having  length  suf- 
ficient to  insure  freedom  of  stride;  a  very  deep  fore-rib 
and  chest,  lung  capacity  being  secured  in  this  way  rather 
than  by  thickness 
and  fullness  of  chest ; 
croup  long  and  a  bit 
straight;  deep,  full, 
muscular  quarters 
and  gaskins;  clean, 
smooth  joints ;  a 
broad,  flat,  bony  leg 
of  more  quality  than 
substance ;  oblique 
pasterns  and  a  rather 
small  foot  of  dense 
horn .  A  fine,  smooth 
coat  of  hair  with  a 

total  absence  of  any  feather,  and  a  soft,  delicate  skin 
with  the  superficial  blood-vessels  well  marked,  complete 
a  general  appearance  of  quality  and  refinement  (Fig.  17). 
131.  Use  for  sporting  purposes.  — There  may  be  some 
question  as  to  the  propriety  of  claiming  any  real  usefulness 
for  a  horse,  the  only  purpose  of  which  is  to  serve  as  an 
active  factor  in  the  sports  and  pastimes  of  the  people.  Be 
that  as  it  may,  no  one  can  deny  to  the  Thoroughbred  full 
meed  of  praise  for  a  most  efficient  service  in  his  own  pe- 
culiar field.  The  turf,  originally  an  English  institution, 
was  early  transplanted  to  other  countries,  and  all  peoples 
among  whom  flat-racing,  steeple-chasing,  hunting,  and 
polo  are  in  vogue,  may  be  expected  to  testify  to  the  use- 
fulness of  the  Thoroughbred. 


FIG.  17.  —  Thoroughbred  stallion. 


118 


THE  BEEEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


There  is  such  diversity  of  opinion,  even  among  authori- 
ties, as  to  the  relative  merits  of  the  Thoroughbred  and  the 
American  Saddle  horse  for  saddle  work,  and  the  Thorough- 
bred and  the  part-bred  horse  as  hunters,  that  the  fairest 
way  to  treat  them  would  be  to  review  the  evidence  on 
both  sides.  By  his  opponents  the  Thoroughbred  is  ob- 
jected to  as  a  saddle  horse  because  of  his  disproportionate 

height  at  the  withers 
and  croup,  his  un- 
symmetrical  appear- 
ance from  the  saddle, 
his  low  "  daisy  cut- 
ting "  way  of  going, 
which  they  assert  is 
conducive  to  stum- 
bling, and  his  erratic, 
nervous  tempera- 
ment, which  renders 
himuntractable  under 
restraint.  Opposed 
to  these  objection- 
able features  are  the 
spirit,  the  indomitable  courage,  speed,  stamina  and 
natural  gallop  which  are  possessed  by  no  other  horse 
in  the  same  degree.  Level-headed  Thoroughbreds  that 
fold  their  knees  a  little  and  do  not  drag  their  hocks 
are  being  strongly  supported  in  the  saddle  division  of 
eastern  shows.  For  riding  to  hounds  the  Thoroughbred 
is  said  by  some  to  be  ill-adapted  because  of  his  temper- 
ament, which  makes  him  fretful  at  checks  and  difficult  to 
control  with  the  field  in  full  cry.  Furthermore,  the  aver- 
age Thoroughbred  is  not  up  to  the  weight  imposed  by 
many  riders  who  care  to  indulge  in  this  sport.  On  the 


FIG.  18.  —  Thoroughbred  saddle  mare. 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  119 

other  hand,  his  supporters  maintain  that  his  speed,  stamina, 
courage  and  nerve  force  may  be  relied  on  to  bring  one 
in  safely  when  others  fail.  It  is  said  that  he  does  not  get 
"  doppy  "  at  his  fences,  but  will  jump,  as  well  as  gallop, 
on  his  courage  when  fatigued,  and  that  altogether  his 
performance  is  more  in  keeping  with  the  sport  than 
that  of  his  colder-blooded  contemporary..  A  logical 
conclusion  seems  to  be  that  the  Thoroughbred  horse 
is  best  adapted  to  a  Thoroughbred  rider  (Fig.  18). 
As  stated  by  one  authority,  "  Thoroughbreds  are  horse- 
men's horses,"  and  one  who  understands  their  disposition 
and  eccentricities  is  not  likely  to  be  satisfied  with  any 
other  kind  of  a  mount ;  while,  for  those  less  accomplished 
in  horsemanship,  and  satisfied  with  a  more  moderate  ride, 
the  horse  which  has  his  fire  cooled  to  some  extent  by  a  dip 
of  plebeian  blood  is  more  suitable. 

132.  Use  for  crossing.  —  To  estimate  properly  the  full 
utility  value  of  this  race,  it  is  necessary  to  consider,  in 
addition  to  the  service  which  individuals  of  the  breed  have 
rendered  in  performance  on  the  flat  and  cross  country,  the 
great  influence  of  the  blood  in  union  with  that  of  other 
stocks.  Notwithstanding  the  fact  that  this  horse  has 
been  the  creation  of  generations  of  sportsmen,  with  speed 
performance  the  standard  of  selection,  it  is  the  potency  of 
his  blood  when  blended  with  common,  native  stocks  which 
is  of  greatest  value  in  the  production  of  market  horses  for 
use  outside  the  realm  of  sport.  In  all  but  the  draft  breeds 
the  influence  of  the  Thoroughbred  may  be  demonstrated. 
In  the  heavy-harness  division,  the  foundation  blood  lines 
of  the  recognized  breeds  are  significant.  The  Hackney 
descends  from  Shales,  a  son  of  Blaze,  Thoroughbred,  out 
of  a  strong  common  mare  of  Norfolk.  Thoroughbred  sires 
have  produced  from  native  French  mares  the  half-blood 


120  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

horses  from  which  the  French  coach  has  been  evolved. 
They  are  still  called  Demi-sang  (half-blood)  in  France. 
The  German  Coach  horse  has  less  of  the  Thoroughbred 
character  and  foundation,  but  even  here  "the  trail  of  the 
blood  "  may  be  traced.  The  Yorkshire  coach  horse  repre- 
sents a  Thoroughbred-Cleveland  Bay  cross.  The  repre- 
sentative light-harness  horse  is  the  American  trotter,  and 
the  two  individuals  accredited  with  being  the  foundation 
sires  are  Imp.  Messenger,  Thoroughbred,  and  Justin  Mor- 
gan, said  to  be  of  Thoroughbred  extraction.  The  Ameri- 
can Saddle  Horse,  as  a  breed,  is  descendant  from  Denmark, 
Thoroughbred,  son  of  Imp.  Hedgeford,  and  repeated  in- 
fusions of  Thoroughbred  blood  are  still  admitted.  Further- 
more, the  ranks  of  the  hunter,  jumper  and  polo  pony 
classes,  not  breeds,  but  market  types,  are  chiefly  filled  by 
either  full-  or  part-bred  blood  horses. 

133.  Part-bred  horses.  —  In  accordance  with  the  idea 
that  the  term  Thoroughbred  implies  that  a  horse  is  totally 
of  the  blood,  the  term  part-bred  has  become  a  common 
means  of  designating  a  horse  that  is  not  altogether,  but 
only  partly,  of  the  blood.  It  is  even  customary  further  to 
indicate  the  proportion  of  hot  or  Thoroughbred  blood, 
by  applying  the  terms  two-parts  or  half-bred  to  the  get  of 
a  Thoroughbred  sire  out  of  a  common  bred  mare,  and 
three-parts  or  three-quarters  bred  to  the  individual  whose 
sire  was  a  Thoroughbred,  while  his  dam  was  two-parts 
bred,  as  above.  In  those  sections  of  the  country  where 
Thoroughbred  sires  have  been  available,  horses  of  this 
fractional  breeding  are  common.  As  a  matter  of  fact, 
horses  produced  in  this  way  have  such  a  wide  field  of  use- 
fulness as  to  keep  them  in  steady  demand ;  therefore  this 
is  a  line  of  breeding  that  may  be  strongly  commended  to 
many  farmers.  While  these  horses  are  produced  principally 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HORSES 


121 


as  green  hunter  material  (Fig.  19),  the  part-bred  horse  is  a 
most  versatile  equine.  It  is  questionable  whether  there 
is  any  type  of  horse  that  can  fill  more  acceptably  so  many 
different  vocations  as  he.  While  somewhat  deficient  in 
style  and  trotting  speed, 
his  substance  and  stam- 
ina make  him  a  stout, 
all-day  road  horse.  He 
can  be  easily  schooled 
to  the  walk-trot-canter 
standard,  while  his 
greatest  accomplish- 
ment is  to  take  up  one 
hundred  and  eighty  to 
two  hundred  pounds' 
weight  and  gallop, 
safely,  for  long  dis- 
tances across  country 
at  considerable  speed, 
doing  all  the  jumping  requisite  to  such  a  performance. 
It  has  been  further  demonstrated  that  the  part-bred 
horse  has  a  place  on  the  farm. 

134.  Distribution.  —  The  Thoroughbred  has  found  its 
way  into  all  countries  where  speed  horses  are  popular. 
Other  countries  to  follow  the  precedent  of  England  in  the 
establishment  of  the  race  course  and  the  patronage  of  the 
Thoroughbred,  were  America,  France,  Germany,  Austra- 
lia, and  Argentina,  especially. 

-  135.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  first  publica- 
tion of  recorded  pedigrees  and  performances  was  in  1829. 
The  official  organ  and  record  of  the  Thoroughbred  in  Eng- 
land is  the  General  Stud-book  of  Great  Britain.  In  this 
country,  Thoroughbreds  are  registered  in  the  American 


FIG.  19.  —  Part-bred  hunter. 


122  TEE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Stud-book   for   Thoroughbreds,  the  official  organization 
being  the  American  Jockey  Club. 

Literature.  — Sir  Walter  Gilbey,  Bart.,  Thoroughbred  and 
Other  Ponies;  Horses  Past  and  Present;  Ridgeway,  The  Origin 
and  Influence  of  the  Thoroughbred  Horse,  Cambridge  (1905); 
Trevethan,  The  American  Thoroughbred,  New  York  (1905) ;  Peer, 
Cross  Country  with  Horse  and  Hound;  Ware,  First  Hand  Bits  of 
Stable  Lore ;  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  Nineteenth 
Annual  Report  of  the  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry. 


AMERICAN  SADDLE  HORSE.    Plate  IV.     Fig.  20. 
By  David  Castleman 

136.  The  American  Saddle  horse,  as  its  name  indicates, 
is  a  saddle  horse  developed  in  America.      While  it  is 
adapted  first  of  all  for  saddle  purposes,  it  has  long  since 
demonstrated    its    worth   for  light  harness  service.     Its 
peculiar  grace  of  motion  and  aptitude  for  the  saddle  gaits 
in  their  perfection,  place  it  in  the  forefront  of  horses  used 
for  saddle  work. 

137.  History.  —  The    American   Saddle   horse   is  the 
outgrowth  of  necessity.     Before  railroads  were  established 
in  this  country,  and  while  traffic  was  by  horseback  over 
unbroken  or  almost  impassable  roads,  there  was  a  demand 
for  a  sure-footed,  sturdy  horse  that  could  travel  long  dis- 
tances at  a  steady  rate  of  speed,  and  at  the  same  time 
carry  a  pack  or  a  rider.     Out  of  this  need  grew  the  Ameri- 
can Saddle  horse,  very  crude   and  undeveloped  at  first, 
but  to  be  gradually  molded,  as  necessity  changed,  into  the 
magnificent  type  as  he  stands  to-day. 

Virginia  and  the  south  Atlantic  states  had  given  much 
attention  to  racing,  and  at  a  very  early  date  were  breeders 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  123 

of  the  Thoroughbred.  One  source  of  importation  was 
Canada.  There  they  had  raised  a  hardy  little  horse,  said 
to  be  a  cross  of  the  French  importations,  generally  with 
such  stallions  as  could  be  secured  from  New  York  and 
New  England.  Incidentally,  these  stallions  were  most 
often  of  German  and  Netherland  breeding.  The  Cana- 
dians had  given  much  attention  to  the  development  of  the 
pace  or  amble.  Many  of  these  Canadian  horses  drifted 
down  into  what  were  then  the  horse-breeding  colonies. 
They  had  something  of  the  gait  and  stamina  required,  but 
lacked  in  both  beauty  and  courage.  Some  of  these  Cana- 
dian mares  were  crossed  with  available  Thoroughbred 
stallions  to  produce  a  saddle  horse,  with  most  satisfactory 
results,  certain  lines  of  Thoroughbred  blood  giving  the 
best  product.  The  most  satisfactory  lines  of  the  Thor- 
oughbred blood  were  selected,  and  all  others  rejected. 

Most  of  the  horses  brought  to  Kentucky  by  the  early 
settlers  were  these  "  saddlers,"  and  many  of  them  the  best 
that  had  been  produced  in  the  older  states.  The  natural 
character  of  the  Kentucky  country  led  to  the  concentration 
of  the  best  of  these  new  saddle  horses  within  her  borders. 
The  importance  that  attached  to  the  efforts  of  the  saddle- 
horse  breeders  in  Kentucky  led  to  the  name  "  Kentucky 
saddle  horse  "  being  applied  to  these  horses. 

Imp.  Hedgeford  was  a  brown  colt,  foaled  in  England  in 
1825  by  Filho-de-Puta,  out  of  Miss  Craigie  by  Orville.  He 
was  bred  by  a  Mr.  Mylton,  imported  in  1832  by  William 
Jackson  of  New  York,  and  taken  to  Kentucky,  where  he 
died  in  1840.  Among  his  get  was  the  great  Denmark, 
which  was  foaled  in  1839,  out  of  Betsey  Harrison  by  Aratus, 
and  bred  by  Samuel  Davenport  of  Kentucky.  He  was 
a  game  and  consistent  four-mile  race  horse,  but  not  re- 
markable for  his  speed.  Denmark  was  bred  to  the  Steven- 


124  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

son  mare  43,  a  brown  saddle  mare  by  Cockspur,  the  latter 
a  saddler  of  one-half  or  three-fourths  Thoroughbred  blood. 
In  1850,  Games'  Denmark  61  was  foaled,  out  of  the  Steven- 
son mare.  He  was  the  greatest  of  the  sons  of  Denmark. 
He  served  through  the  Civil  war,  along  with  John  Dillard, 
another  famous  saddler.  Nine-tenths  of  the  successful 
modern  sires  trace  directly  to  Games'  Denmark.  Follow- 
ing the  war  there  came  a  craze  for  speed  horses,  and  many 
of  the  best  saddle  mares  were  stinted  to  trotting  stallions, 
much  to  the  detriment  of  the  saddle  horse. 

In  1891,  the  American  Saddle  Horse  Breeders'  Associa- 
tion was  organized.  In  its  stud-book  were  inserted  the 
names  of  the  "  foundation  stock."  In  most  of  these  foun- 
dation stallions  there  was  a  strong  admixture  of  Thorough- 
bred blood,  and  many  of  them  trace  their  lineage  through 
Denmark's  dam.  In  1901,  after  ten  years  of  careful  work, 
the  list  of  foundation  stallions  was  revised  to  include  the 
following  ten  horses :  Denmark,  John  Dillard,  Tom  Hal, 
Cabell's  Lexington,  Coleman's  Eureka,  Van  Meter's  Waxy, 
Stump-the-dealer,  Peter's  Halcorn,  Davy  Crockett  and 
Pat  Cleburne. 

138.  Notable  sires  and  dams.  —  John  Dillard  was  by 
Canada  Chief  out  of  Lady  Jackson,  which  was  a  daughter 
of  Blackburn's  Whip,  which  was  by  Imp.  Whip,  and  he  was 
by  Imp.  Saltram.  Imp.  Saltram  got  the  Saltram  mare,  and 
she  was  the  dam  of  Jenny  Cockracy,  which  produced 
Betsey  Harrison,  the  dam  of  Denmark;  Jenny  Cockracy 
also  produced  Susette,  the  dam  of  Berthune,  the  sire  of 
Van  Meter's  Waxy,  another  of  the  foundation  list.  This 
illustrates  the  constant  interweaving  of  the  same  Thorough- 
bred blood  that  characterized  the  early  breeding  efforts. 
The  same  intricate  interrelationship  could  be  traced  for 
the  other  foundation  stallions  if  space  permitted. 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  'OF  HORSES  125 

Tom  Hal  was  a  Canadian  pacer  imported  to  Kentucky. 
He  was  a  blue  roan,  foaled  in  1802,  and  lived  to  the  great 
age  of  forty-one  years.  He  was  the  founder  of  the  Hal 
family  of  Tennessee,  of  the  Blue  Bull  family  of  Indiana 
and  the  noted  Tom  Hal  saddle  horses  of  Kentucky. 
Among  many  others,  he  was  the  sire  of  the  noted  horse 
Bald  Stockings  76,  which  was  the  first  horse  ever  noticed 
to  go  the  running-walk.  The  dam  of  Cabell's  Lexington 
was  by  Tom  Hal.  Here  we  catch  genuine  Morgan  blood, 
for  Cabell's  Lexington  was  by  Gist's  Black  Hawk, 
which  was  by  Blood's  Black  Hawk,  which  was 
by  Vermont  Black  Hawk.  In  Coleman's  Eureka  we 
again  find  Morgan  blood  on  the  sire's  side  and  Thorough- 
bred blood  on  the  dam's.  He  was  a  dark  chestnut,  sixteen 
hands  high,  and  won  about  one  hundred  and  twenty-five 
premiums  in  saddle  and  combined  rings.  Van  Meter's 
Waxy  was  unquestionably  a  Thoroughbred  horse.  On  the 
sire's  side  he  traces  to  the  two  Barb  horses  sent  to  Thomas 
Jefferson  by  the  Bey  of  Tunis.  Stump-the-dealer  was  a 
Thoroughbred,  tracing  on  the  sire's  side  to  Saltram  and 
on  the  dam's  side  to  Imp.  Diomed.  He  was  a  famous  race 
horse.  The  Halcorn  strain  is  recognized  as  a  separate 
and  distinct  saddle  family.  Peter's  Halcorn,  the  head  of 
the  family,  is  described  as  a  remarkably  handsome  bay 
stallion.  Of  the  breeding  of  Davy  Crockett  we  know 
nothing.  He  was  imported  to  Kentucky  from  Canada 
and  has  been  a  great  producer  of  saddle  horses.  He  was 
characterized  by  power  and  endurance,  and  had  large, 
yellow  eyes  which  he  frequently  imparted  to  his  get.  Pat 
Cleburne  is  noteworthy  for  his  production  in  the  hands  of 
Missouri  breeders. 

This  list  might  be  greatly  extended  by  the  addition  of  the 
noted  horses  of  more  recent  years.  Mention  should  be 


126 


THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 


made  especially  of  the  famous  sires  Black  Squirrel  58, 
Montrose  106,  Black  Eagle  74,  Chester  Dare  10,  High- 
land Denmark  730,  Cecil  Palmer  933,  Bourbon  Chief  976 
and  Dominor  2631. 

139.  Description.  —  The  most  outstanding  characteris- 
tics of  the  American  Saddle  horse  are  courage,  docility  and 
superb  finish  (Fig.  20).  His  courage  and  spirit,  coupled 
with  his  docility,  give  him  his  special  usefulness  on  the  battle 
field,  as  well  as  in  the  harness.  Breeders  of  this  horse  have 

held  before  them  an 
ideal  type,  and  it  is 
not  too  much  to  say 
that  this  ideal  has  been 
approached  somewhat 
closely.  The  ideal 
American  Saddle  horse 
may  be  described  thus : 
The  muzzle  is  small 
and  delicate,  with  dis- 
tended and  sensitive 
nostril.  The  head  is 
bony,  rather  small, 
with  generally  just  an 
indication  of  a  dish  in 
the  face;  the  eyes  full,  round  and  prominent,  and  set 
wide  apart.  The  small,  pointed  ears  are  set  well  apart, 
and  are  constantly  played;  sometimes  there  is  a  slight 
cup  to  the  point  of  the  ear.  The  horse  should  bear  an 
expression  of  courage  and  gentleness.  Behind  the  ears 
is  the  fine  muscular  throttle,  on  which  the  head  is  set 
at  a  good  angle.  The  neck  is  long  and  gracefully 
crested.  The  shoulders  are  sloping.  There  is  good 
depth  through  the  heart,  a  short,  strong  back,  the  barrel 


FIG.  20.  —  American  saddle  stallion. 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  127 

ribbed  well  back  and  quite  as  large  around  the  last  rib  as 
at  the  girth.  The  horse  is  strong  across  the  kidneys  and 
the  coupling  is  powerful.  The  quarters  are  level,  strongly 
muscled  and  long  from  the  point  of  the  hip  to  the  hock. 
The  tail  comes  out  well  up,  is  carried  high,  and  is  heavy, 
long  and  flowing.  The  body  is  set  on  comparatively 
short  legs.  The  bone  of  the  leg  is  broad,  flat  and  closely 
knit,  and  the  tendons  strong.  The  fore-arm  is  powerfully 
muscled  and  the  fore-legs  straight.  The  hind-leg  is  not 
so  straight  as  in  the  Thoroughbred,  and  is  well  muscled. 
The  legs  are  short  from  knee  and  hock  to  ankle.  The 
pasterns  are  a  little  long  and  sloping.  The  feet  are  hard 
but  elastic,  heels  well  spread  and  well  developed.  The 
average  height  of  the  Saddle  horse  is  about  fifteen  hands 
two  inches,  and  the  weight  approximately  1000  pounds. 

140.  The  saddle  horse  in  motion.  —  The  methods  of 
educating  the  saddle  horse  would  carry  us  too  far  afield, 
but  we  may  consider  the  motion  of  the  educated  horse. 
Beautiful  as  this  horse  is,  he  must  be  seen  in  motion  to  be 
appreciated. 

141.  The  flat-footed  walk  should  be  prompt,   brisk, 
elastic,  "  dead  in  line  "  and  fast.     Speed  is  important  and 
should  be  equal  to  at  least  three  and  a  half  miles  an  hour. 
Horses  will  occasionally  be  found  that  will  walk  at  the  rate 
of  four  and  a  half  miles  an  hour,  but  the  lower  estimate 
is  good  walking.      It  may  generally  be  assumed  that  a 
horse  is  walking  properly  if  all  four  shoes  may  be  seen  from 
behind  him,  and  the  feet  on  the  same  side  are  in  line. 

142.  The  trot  should  be  true,  "  dead  in  line,"  well  under 
the  horse,  balanced,  prompt  and  with  both  shoulder  and 
stifle  put  well  into  the  motion.     Unless  the  shoulder  is 
put  well  into  the  motion,  the  mere  play  of  knees  yields  a 
racking,  uncomfortable  ride.     Unless  the  stifle  is  brought 


128  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

into  full  play,  the  recovery  is  necessarily  slow.  This  is  not 
only  a  bad  fault,  but  gives  one  an  idea  that  the  horse  is 
going  one  gait  in  front,  and  another  behind.  To  use  a 
trade  expression,  "  the  horse  is  going  in  two  pieces."  For 
a  comfortable  ride,  knee  and  hock  action  must  be  equal ; 
and,  given  this  equality,  it  cannot  be  too  high.  With  all 
this,  the  ideal  saddle  horse  must  accomplish  one  more  thing 
with  his  trot :  he  must  trot  with  all  four  legs  under  him  — 
the  trot  must  be  gathered ;  he  must  come  up  into  the  bit, 
and  still  not  pull  an  ounce.  The  trot  of  the  ordinary  horse 
is  straggly  and  too  much  extended.  The  men  who  best 
accomplish  this  "  gathering  "  of  the  trot  are  the  most  suc- 
cessful educators. 

143.  The  canter.  —  This  gait,  in  its  modern  develop- 
ment, is  a  thing  of  beauty.  The  old  "  'lope  "  or  gallop, 
which  seemed  to  ride  one  down  hill,  is  relegated  with  the 
side  swiping  pace.  The  canter  of  to-day  is  high,  bounding, 
elastic,  gathered  slow,  and  right  under  the  horse.  At  this 
gait  a  horse's  hocks  should  be  right  under  him,  and  the 
motion  should  come  almost  entirely  from  the  front,  while 
the  quarters  are  sparingly  used.  The  horse  should  lead 
with  either  foot,  and  change  lead  at  command  with  such 
ease  that  no  signal  can  be  detected.  His  quarters  should 
be  so  thoroughly  flexed  that  they  are  always  turned  toward 
the  center  of  the  circle  in  which  he  may  be  supposed  to  be 
cantering.  That  is,  when  the  horse  is  leading  with  the 
right  foot  his  quarters  should  be  well  under  him,  and  in  to 
the  right.  In  other  words,  the  horse's  body  should  take 
the  curve  of  the  circle  in  which  he  is  supposed  to  be  canter- 
ing. This  is  the  only  possible  way  to  get  a  comfortable 
and  pleasing  canter.  At  the  same  time,  the  rider  should 
gently  raise  the  horse,  with  an  almost  imperceptible  pres- 
sure on  the  bit,  at  each  upward  bound.  This  is  the  canter 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  Of  HORSES  129 

in  contradistinction  to  the  gallop,  and  the  American  saddle 
horse  seems  almost  to  do  it  naturally. 

144.  The  slow  gait  may  be  any  one  of  three,  that  is, 
(1)  the  running- walk ;  (2)  the  fox-trot;  (3)  the  stepping- 
pace. 

(1)  The  running-walk.  —  This  is  the  intermediate  de- 
velopment between  the  flat-footed  walk  and  the  rack.    The 
motion,  rhythm  and  recovery  are  identically  the  same.     It 
is  a  "  single-foot,"  just  as  are  the  flat-footed  walk  and  the 
rack.     But  the  tempo  is  greater  than  in  the  walk,  and  less 
than  in  the  rack.     It  is  much  the  most  graceful  of  the  slow 
gaits,  and  the  easiest  on  both  horse  and  rider.     At  this 
gait  a  horse  can  cover  mile  after  mile,  up  and  down  hill, 
without  distressing  either  himself  or  his  rider.     A  speed 
of  six  to  eight  miles  an  hour  is  not  unusual,  and  occasionally 
a  "  running- walker  "  is  found  that  can  do  nine  miles  or 
better.     Not  all  members  of  this  breed  can  be  taught  to 
go  the  running-walk  well,  and  for  that  reason  it  has  been 
decreed  that  either  the  fox-trot  or  the  stepping-pace  may 
be  accepted  as  a  substitute. 

(2)  The  fox-trot.  —  This  may  be  best  designated  as  a 
mongrel  gait.     It  is  not  so  graceful  nor  so  easy  as  either 
the  running- walk  or  the  stepping-pace.     At  this  gait,  the 
horse  goes  a  jog-trot  in  front  and  paces  behind. 

(3)  The  stepping-pace  is  nearly  as  graceful  a  gait  as  the 
running-walk,  and  when  well  done  is  quite  as  easy  on  the 
rider  and  only  slightly  harder  on  the  horse.     It  is  not 
the  side-swiping  pace  of  the  harness  horse.     At  this  gait 
the  horse  is  going  the  running-walk  with  his  fore-feet  and 
pacing  with  his  hind-feet. 

145.  The  rack.  —  This  gait  is  the  highest  development 
of  the  flat-footed  walk.      It  is  nothing  but  the  flat-footed 
walk  developed  to  high  speed.    The  rhythm  and  motion 


130  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

are  identical,  and  the  old  name  of  "  single-foot  "  was  an 
aptly  descriptive  term.  The  feet  hit  the  ground  in  suc- 
cession, one  at  a  time.  It  is  the  flashiest  and  most  attrac- 
tive gait  a  horse  can  go,  and  while  tiring  to  the  horse,  there 
is  no  gait  more  delightful  to  the  rider. 

146.  Use  as  a  cavalry  horse.  —  In  both  the  Civil  and 
Spanish- American  wars  the  American  Saddle   horse  has 
been  put  to  the  test,  and  in  both  cases  the  testimony  has 
been  to  his  unsurpassed  excellence  as  a  cavalry  horse.     His 
endurance,  combined  with  his  smooth,  fast  walk,  enable 
him  to  stand  the  hard  strains  with  the  minimum  of  fatigue 
to  himself  and  his  rider.     He  is  reliable  on  the  field  and 
quick  to  adapt  himself  to  the  maneuvers. 

147.  Use  as  a  commercial  horse.  —  The  same  qualities 
that  adapt  the  American  Saddle  horse  for  cavalry  pur- 
poses make  him  valuable  commercially  wherever  horses 
are  kept  under  the  saddle.     His  winnings  in  the  show-ring 
attest  his  popularity.     In  the  ten  years,  1896-1905,  at  the 
national  horse-show  in  Madison  Square  Garden,  New  York 
City,  the  American  Saddle  horse  won  twelve  out  of  a  total 
of  eighteen  championships  open  to  all  breeds  of  horses  that 
wear  the  saddle.     His  show-ring  winnings  add  to  his  com- 
mercial value.     Within  a  recent  year,  the  following  sales 
were  made :  The  Moor,  a  three-year-old  stallion,  was  sold 
for  $7500;  Tattersall  and  Mate,  a  pair  of  geldings,  sold 
for  $6000 ;  Eugenia  and  Magna,  a  pair  of  mares,  brought 
$5000;  American   Girl,   a  four-year-old    mare,   sold    for 
$5000.     Prices  up  to  $1000  for  a  single  horse  are  not 
uncommon. 

148.  Use  as  a  gaited  horse.  —  The  demand  for  gaited 
horses  is  met  by  members  of  this  breed.     Saddle  horses  of 
other  breeds  do  the  three  natural  gaits,  the  walk-trot  and 
canter.     The  American  Saddle  horse  is  distinctive  in  that 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  131 

he  can  be  readily  taught  to  go  the  five  gaits,  the  walk, 
trot,  canter,  rack  or  single-foot,  and  the  running-walk, 
fox-trot  or  slow  pace.  The  gaits  are  largely  a  matter  of 
training  with  any  horse,  but  the  American  Saddle  horse 
may  be  said  to  have  an  inherent  tendency  and  aptitude  to 
master  the  gaits  more  quickly  and  perfectly  than  horses 
of  other  breeds. 

149.  Use  as  a  harness  horse.  —  The  American  Saddle 
horse  has  also  a  place  as  a  light  harness  horse,  as  is  indi- 
cated by  the  following  examples :    Emily  855,  World's 
Fair  Champion  at  Chicago  in  1893,  has  frequently  gone  a 
mile  in  2 :  35  to  2  :  50.      Hitched  double  with  Dorothy 
1210  (winner  of  seventy-two  blue  ribbons  in  succession), 
the  pair  have  driven  a  mile  in  2  :  52.     Rex  Arbuckle  1467, 
champion  light  harness  horse  at  the  Kentucky  State  Fair 
in  1906,  has  driven  a  mile  many  tunes  in  better  than  a 
"  forty  "  gait.     This  same  stallion  has  won  prizes  in  many 
five-gaited  rings.       Among  others,  John  Dillard  F.   S. 
should  be  mentioned  as  a  notable  sire  of  the  dams  of  light 
harness  racers. 

150.  Use  as  a  hunter.  —  Many  of  these  American  Sad- 
dle horses  have  been  educated  as  hunters.     A  notable 
example  was  Copeland  1153,  whose  name  was  changed 
to  Pisgah.     This  horse  won  many  ribbons  in  hunter  rings. 

151.  Breeding.  —  But  little  can  be  said  on  this  subject 
that  is  not  applicable  to  all  pure-bred  stock.     The  one  en- 
deavor since  the  foundation  of  the  type  has  been  to  pro- 
duce a  horse  fitted  in  conformation  and  motion  and  intel- 
ligence for  a  definite  purpose ;  to  breed  a  beautiful  horse, 
with  as  nearly  perfect  motion  as  possible.     To  this  end, 
breeders  have  bent  their  energies  in  using  the  process  of 
selection  and  rejection.      Out  of    the  years  that  have 
passed,  certain  lessons  have  been  learned.     The  remark- 


132  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

able  prepotency  of  the  blood  of  Games'  Denmark  61,  in 
the  male  line,  has  been  conclusively  demonstrated.  He  is 
a  reckless  man  who  undertakes  to  produce  the  modern 
American  Saddle  horse,  with  a  stallion  heading  his  stud 
which  lacks  the  direct  male  trace  to  this  greatest  of  the 
Denmarks.  Fortunately,  his  blood  has  been  so  diffused 
that  there  is  no  danger  of  inbreeding.  The  years  have  also 
demonstrated  that  certain  lines  of  blood  have  produced 
great  brood-mare  families.  The  daughters  of  Peavine 
85,  Dave  Akin  775,  Harrison  Chief  1606,  Indian  Chief 
1718,  and  that  exquisite  son  of  Magic,  Beauty  604,  have 
produced  very  successfully  when  mated  to  stallions  possess- 
ing a  direct  male  lineage  to  Games'  Denmark  61.  Not 
yet  has  the  Chief  family  produced  an  acceptable  sire. 

The  general  rules  followed  in  the  production  of  the 
present-day  American  Saddle  horse  may  be  stated  thus : 
(1)  Have  the  stallion  trace  directly  to  Games'  Denmark 
61 .  (2)  Have  in  the  brood-mares  as  many  crosses  as  pos- 
sible of  the  proved  great  brood-mare  sires.  (3)  Line-breed 
to  the  proved  great  brood-mares  of  the  breed,  and  remem- 
ber that  of  these,  Nannie  Garrett  472  stands  easily  first. 

It  seems  hardly  necessary  to  add  that  the  question  of 
individuality  is  even  more  pertinent  here  than  in  other 
breeds.  No  horse  of  this  breed  can  carry  such  superior 
blood  lines  as  to  warrant  overlooking  inferior  individuality. 
The  ideal  must  be  definite  and  must  be  adhered  to. 

152.  Feeding.  —  It  has  been  learned  from  the  breeders 
of  Thoroughbreds  that  the  essential  growth  of  a  horse  is 
mainly  in  the  first  year  of  his  life.  Hence,  we  antedate  his 
birth  and  keep  his  dam  in  prime  condition.  For  twenty- 
four  hours  after  his  birth,  the  dam  has  no  food,  but  a 
bucket  of  water  with  the  chill  taken  off  is  kept  constantly 
before  her.  At  the  expiration  of  the  twenty-four  hours, 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  133 

the  attendant  should  begin  to  feed  both  foal  and  dam.  By 
the  time  the  foal  is  seven  days  old,  he  and  his  dam  are  on 
full  feed.  When  it  is  available,  this  feed  consists  of  one- 
third  wheat  bran  and  two-thirds  rolled  oats.  This,  with 
either  timothy  or  Burt  oats  hay,  makes  a  well-balanced 
ration  for  mare  and  foal.  This  feed  is  placed  in  a  trough 
low  enough  for  the  foal  to  reach  and  eat  with  his  dam.  By 
the  time  he  is  three  days  old,  he  will  have  learned  to  eat, 
and  then  he  must  be  fed  regularly.  Whatever  food  is 
available  for  the  mare  and  foal,  it  should  contain  a  liberal 
proportion  of  protein. 

It  may  be  admissible  for  the  writer  here  to  give  a  warn- 
ing, even  though  it  may  seem  to  be  unnecessary.  Both 
alfalfa  and  clover  are  dangerous  if  fed  to  breeding  animals. 
This  statement  is  made  out  of  personal  experience  in  breed- 
ing this  horse.  There  is  no  better  roughage  for  growing 
horses  than  clover  hay.  Alfalfa  hay  will  do  for  horses  if 
clover  is  not  available,  but  its  strong  diuretic  effect  makes 
it  necessary  to  watch  it  carefully. 

153.  Distribution.  —  The  state  of  Kentucky  justly 
claims  to  have  been  the  nursery  of  the  two  American 
breeds  of  horses,  —  the  American  Saddle  horse  and  the 
Standardbred  trotter,  although  Tennessee,  and  more 
recently  Missouri  and  Illinois,  have  been  very  instrumental 
in  the  development  of  the  Saddle  horse.  The  Saddle 
horse  has  become  distributed  over  most  of  the  United 
States  and  parts  of  Canada.  There  are  at  least  two  very 
creditable  studs  in  Canada  and  one  in  Mexico.  Seven 
stallions  have  been  sent  to  South  America,  two  stallions 
to  Porto  Rico,  five  stallions  to  Cuba,  one  stallion  to  Hawaii, 
one  to  New  Zealand  and  five  to  Japan.  Three  mares  have 
been  sent  to  England.  It  is  probable  that  representatives 
of  this  breed  have  also  reached  other  countries. 


134  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

154.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The   organization 
devoted  to  the  interests  of  this  breed  is  the  American 
Saddle  Horse  Breeders'  Association,  with  headquarters 
at  Louisville,   Kentucky.     When  this  organization  was 
first  effected,  in  1891,  it  had  the  name  National  Saddle 
Horse  Breeders'  Association.     The  change  was  made  to 
the  present  name  in  1899.     The  association  has  published 
six  volumes  of  its  register,  each  volume  containing  3000 
registrations. 

ARAB  HORSE.    Fig.  21. 
By  Homer  Davenport 

155.  The  Arab  horse  is  notable  as  a  saddler,  and  to  im- 
part vigor,  quality  and  intelligence  in  cross-breeding.     His 
blood  has  been  prominent  in  the  development  of  the  Per- 
cheron,  Hackney,  Thoroughbred,  Russian    Orloff,    Tra- 
kehner,  Hanoverian,  French  and  German  cavalry,  coach 
horses  and  polo  ponies;  in  fact,  a  large  proportion  of 
our  present-day  types  are  more  or  less  traceable  to  the  in- 
fluence of  the  Arabian  horse. 

156.  Early  history.  —  There  has  been  a  great  deal  of 
query  as  to  where  the  Arab  horse  came  from.     It  seems 
probable   that   he   came   originally   from   Mesopotamia, 
although  some  writers  hold  that  his  native  home  was  in 
the  vicinity  of  Nejd.     According  to  Plumb,  the  Arabs  are 
descendants  of  Ishmael,  who  according  to  tradition,  in- 
herited a  valuable  horse  of  the  Kuhl  race.     The  Anazeh 
tribe  descended  in  a  direct  line  from  Ishmael,  through 
Sheik  Salaman,  who  lived  about  1635  B.C.   (four  genera- 
tions removed  from  Ishmael),  and  who  owned  five  famous 
mares.     From  this  ancestry  has  come  the  purest    and 
best  Arab  horse  blood.    This  race  was  in  existence  many 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  135 

centuries  before  the  time  of  Mohammed.  Early  in  the 
seventeenth  century,  Arab  horses  were  brought  to  Eng- 
land, and  in  the  eighteenth  century  the  importations  were 
numerous.  These  exerted  considerable  influence  on  the 
development  of  the  Thoroughbred  and  the  Hackney. 

157.  History  in  America.  —  The  first  record  we  have  of 
the  Arab  in  America  was  the  importation  of  the  stallion 
Ranger,  about  1765,  to  New  London,  Connecticut.  In 
1838,  J.  D.  Elliott  imported  a  number  of  both  sexes.  The 
late  A.  Keene  Richards  brought  them  to  Georgetown, 
Kentucky,  in  1856.  His  plant  was  making  the  most  rapid 
strides  toward  success,  when  it  was  destroyed  by  the  Civil 
War.  The  blood  of  his  horses,  however,  is  found  in  the 
present  Kentucky  saddle  horses,  six  and  seven  generations 
back,  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  much  of  the  beauty  of 
that  splendid  animal  to-day  is  traceable  to  the  horses  that 
A.  Keene  Richards  imported.  The  next  importation  was 
the  two  stallions  given  to  General  U.  S.  Grant  by  the 
Sultan  of  Turkey.  These  were  of  unknown  families,  but 
they  sired  many  beautiful  and  useful  horses. 

A  number  of  Arabian  horses  were  brought  to  the  World's 
Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago,  in  1893.  The  Sultan 
was  induced  to  permit  these  horses  to  come  to  America  for 
the  exhibit,  and  through  mortgages  they  were  eventually 
held.  Nine  were  burned  to  death  in  their  stalls  at  the 
Exposition  by  the  Syrians  that  brought  them,  as  the  out- 
come of  a  wrangle.  From  these  horses,  however,  came  the 
best  results  from  any  Arab  horses  brought  to  America. 
Most  of  them  were  bought  by  Peter  B.  Bradley,  of 
Hingham,  Massachusetts,  who  crossed  them  on  some 
of  our  best  breeds,  besides  breeding  them  in  their  purity. 
With  a  pure  horse  of  his  breeding,  Mr.  Hess,  of  New  York 
City,  won  the  only  blue  ribbon  ever  won  over  our  own 


136  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

types  of  saddle  horses,  with  an  Arab  in  open  competition. 
Bradley  also  bred  a  trotter,  two  removes  from  Arab  blood, 
that  trotted  to  a  record  of  2 :  30  in  the  sixth  heat  of  his 
first  race.  He  produced  the  finest  types  of  polo  ponies 
and  accomplished  much  with  the  Arab  blood. 

158.  Description.  —  The  Arabian  in  his  purity  is  a 
horse  of  high  courage,  possessing  length,  strength,  power 
and  substance,  combined  with  elastic  and  graceful  move- 
ment. He  is  gentle  and  affectionate.  He  seems  to  have 
no  fear  of  anything,  even  man,  a  trait  shown  particularly 
in  young  colts.  In  his  native  country  he  stands  closer  to 
fourteen  hands  and  two  inches  than  any  other  height ;  but 
his  size  is  merely  a  matter  of  the  feed  given  him  when  he  is 
a  colt,  as  is  shown  by  the  fact  that  among  the  Gomussa 
tribe  of  the  Sabba  Anazeh,  who  pay  better  attention  to 
their  horses  than  do  others,  we  find  colts  at  two  years  old 
standing  fifteen  hands  high ;  and  at  the  Circassian  villages 
up  the  Euphrates,  where  even  better  care  of  the  live-stock 
is  taken  than  by  any  of  the  Bedouins,  we  find  the  Arab 
horse  much  advanced  in  size. 

There  is  a  peculiar  balance  and  harmony  throughout 
the  frame  of  the  Arab.  The  beauty  of  head,  ears,  eyes, 
jaws,  mouth  and  nostrils  is  noteworthy.  The  ears  are  not 
small,  but  are  so  shaped  that  they  appear  small ;  the  head 
is  short  from  the  eye  to  the  muzzle,  broad  and  well-devel- 
oped above;  the  eye  is  soft  and  intelligent;  the  nostrils 
are  long  and  appear  puckered,  drawn  back  up  the  face, 
and  are  capable  of  great  distention;  the  neck  is  a  model 
of  strength  and  grandeur,  of  which  he  can  make  a  perfect 
arch,  that  matches  the  arch  of  his  tail.  The  throat  is 
large  and  well-developed ;  it  is  loose  and  pliant  when  at 
rest,  and  much  detached  from  the  rest  of  the  neck.  This 
feature  is  not  often  noticed,  but  it  is  indicative  not  only  of 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS   OF  HORSES  137 

good  wind,  but  of  the  capacity  for  prolonged  exertion  with- 
out distress,  owing  to  the  great  width  between  the  jaws. 
The  shoulder  is  good,  as  is  the  deep  chest,  the  appearance 
of  which  is  diminished  by  the  big,  deep  ribs ;  the  back  is 
short,  the  loins  of  immense  power,  and  the  quarters  long 
and  strong,  the  whole  beautifully  turned.  The  legs  and 
feet  are  superior.  The  two  great  features,  possibly,  that 


FIG.  21. —  Arab  stallion. 

a  stranger  would  notice  first  in  the  Arab  horse,  are  the 
forehead,  or  jibbah,  which  cannot  be  too  prominent,  giving 
a  peculiar  dish  to  the  lower  part  of  the  face,  and  the  tail, 
set  high  and  carried  in  an  arch.  The  form  of  the  Arabian 
horse  is  essentially  one  of  utility ;  the  space  for  the  seat  for 
the  rider  is  sufficient,  and  at  once  fixes  his  true  position ; 
the  weight  is  therefore  carried  on  that  part  most  adapted 
for  it.  The  rest  of  the  frame  is  taken  up  with  the  powers 
of  progression.  The  color  varies,  and  may  be  white,  gray, 
bay,  chestnut,  brown  and  rarely  black.  Roan,  spotted 
or  piebald  and  yellow  colors  are  not  found  among  the 


138  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Arabs,  although  roan  and  yellow  are  common  among 
Barbs.  The  bays  often  have  black  points,  and  generally 
one  or  more  white  feet,  with  some  white  in  the  face.  The 
chestnuts  vary  from  the  brightest  to  the  dullest  shades 
(Fig.  21). 

159.  Types  and  families.  —  It  has  been  asserted  that 
there  were  two  breeds  of  Arabian  horses,  a  large  breed  and 
a  small  breed.  This  is  untrue;  there  is  but  one  general 
breed  of  Arabian  horses,  of  which  there  are  many  families, 
which  are  different  and  distinct  in  many  ways.  While 
there  are  not  two  distinct  breeds,  there  are  a  first  and  a 
second  class.  A  horse,  or  mare,  about  whose  breeding 
there  is  the  slightest  doubt,  is  disqualified,  and  not  called 
"  chubby,"  and  therefore  is  of  the  second  class.  The 
families  originated  and  descended  from  some  great  mare. 
In  all  cases  the  breed  of  the  colt  is  that  of  the  dam,  and  not 
of  the  sire ;  thus,  a  colt,  whose  father  had  been  a  Hamdani 
Simri,  and  whose  dam  had  been  a  Seglawieh  Jedranieh, 
would  necessarily  be  a  Seglawi  Jedran.  The  Bedouins 
count  the  father  little,  so  long  as  he  is  "chubby,"  meaning 
a  pure-bred  that  the  Anazeh  would  breed  from,  but  they 
place  everything  in  the  value  of  the  mother's  blood,  and 
of  her  own  individuality. 

The  Gomussa,  of  the  Sabba  Anazeh,  are  the  shrewdest 
horse-breeders  of  the  desert.  They  have  retained,  in  the 
largest  numbers,  specimens  of  the  five  great  families, 
which  are  called  the  Khamseh,  which  means  five.  They 
also  have  the  choicest  of  the  other  families,  which  are 
rated  equal  in  point  of  blood.  The  Khamseh,  so  the  story 
runs,  have  descended  from  the  five  great  mares,  which, 
with  other  mares  of  Sheik  Salaman,  were  drinking  at  the 
river  after  long  hardships  in  war,  when  the  trumpet  blew, 
calling  them  back  to  battle.  Only  five  responded  to  the 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS   OF  HORSES  139 

call,  and  it  was  those  five  that  founded  the  five  great 
families. 

160.  The  Keheilan  Ajus.  —  This  strain  is  the  most 
numerous,  and  from  it  all  other  Keheilans  are  offshoots. 
The  words  Kheleilan  Ajus  mean  the  mare  of  the  old  woman, 
derived  from  a  legend  that  the  mare  was  dropped  by  its 
dam  near  a  well  kept  by  an  old  woman,  where  the  rider  had 
stopped.    The  traveler  rode  off  in  a  short  time,  leaving  the 
filly  colt  with  the  old  woman.     The  next  morning  the  colt 
was  found  by  its  mother's  side,  having  traced  her  across 
the  desert  during  the  night.     Among  the  Keheilans,  bays 
are  more  numerous  than  any  other  color.    They  are  the 
fastest,  although  not  the  hardiest  horses  nor  the  most 
beautiful.     They  bear  a  closer  resemblance  to  the  English 
Thoroughbred  than  any  others,  as  they  are  more  nearly 
related.     The  Darley  Arabian,  perhaps  the  only  thorough- 
bred Anazeh  horse  in  our  stud-books,  was  a  Keheilan  of  the 
sub-family  called  Ras-el-Fadawi. 

161.  The  Seglawi  family  have  descended  from  four 
great  mares  owned  by  a  man  of  that  name.     At  his  death 
he  gave  his  favorite  mare  to  his  brother  Jedran,  and  thus 
the  Seglawi  Jedrans  are  the  favorites  of  the  Seglawies ;  he 
gave  the  second  mare  to  his  brother  Obeyran;  the  third 
to  Arjebi ;  and  the  fourth  to  El-Abd,  meaning  the  slave. 
The  Seglawi  Arjebi  are  extinct,  and  of  the  remaining 
strains,  the  Seglawi   Jedran  ranks  first  in  the  esteem  of 
the  Bedouins,  and  Seglawi  El-Abd  second.     Some  years 
ago,  Abbas  Pasha,  of  Egypt,  purchased  nearly  all  of  the 
Seglawi  Jedran  mares  from  the  Anazeh  tribe,  paying  as 
high  a  price,  it  is  said,  as  3000  pounds  for  a  single  old 
mare.     Many  chestnut-colored  horses  are  found  among 
the  Seglawis;  possibly,  with  the  bays,  they  would  form 
about  an  equal  division. 


140  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

162.  Hamdani.  —  The  Hamdanis  are  not  common  any- 
where on  the  Syrian  desert,  the  Shammar  being  supposed 
to  have  the  best.    They  are  mostly  grays,  although  very 
handsome  browns  and  chestnuts  are  to  be  found  in  the 
Shammar.    The  only   strain    of    the  Hamdani    that  is 
counted  "  chubby  "  is  the  Hamdani  Simri.     Mares  of  the 
Hamdani  Simri  are  very  rare. 

163.  Abeyan.  —  The  Abeyan  is  generally  the  hand- 
somest breed,  but  it  is  small  and  has  less  resemblance  to 
the  English  Thoroughbred  than  any  of  the  other  families 
of  the  Arabian  horse.    The  Abeyan  Sherrack  is  the  most 
esteemed  of  the  seven  strains  of  the  Abeyan  (and  there 
are  but  two  others  of  that  seven,  the  Abeyan  Zahaine  and 
Abeyan  Fadaha,  that  are  counted  "  chubby  ").     It  is  the 
name  of  the  family,  and  the  other  strains  are  derived  from 
Abeyan   Sherrack.    Abeyan   Sherracks   carry   their   tail 
much  higher  than  other  Arabian  horses.     They  are  also 
noted  for  their  prominent  forehead  or  jibbah.     Their  en- 
durance is  remarkable.    The  colors  are  bay,  chestnut  and 
gray. 

164.  Hadban.  —  There  are  five  strains  of  the  Hadban 
family,  Hadban  Enzekhi  being  the  favorite,  and  Hadban 
al-Fert  being  the  only  other  that  is  considered  "  chubby  " 
by  the  Anazeh.    The  Gomussa  of  the  Sabba  Anazeh  are 
supposed  to  have  the  best  Hadbans  at  the  present  time. 
Brown  and  dark  bay  are  the  favorite  colors  of  the  Hadban 
Enzekhi  family. 

165.  Other  families.  —  Besides  these  five  families,  there 
are  sixteen  other  families  that  are   esteemed  almost  as 
much  as  the  Khamseh:     (1)  The  Maneghi,  supposed  to 
be  an  offshoot  of  the  Keheilan  Ajus.     They  are  plain  and 
without  distinction,  being  somewhat  coarse,  with  long 
necks,  powerful  shoulders,  much  length,  and  strong  but 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  141 

coarse  hindquarters.  They  are  strong  boned,  and  are  held 
in  high  repute  as  war  horses.  There  are  four  sub-families 
in  this  group,  the  favorite  being  Maneghi  Sbeyel,  which  is 
counted  "  chubby  "  all  over  the  desert.  Maneghi  Hedruj, 
the  next  esteemed,  is  not  counted  "  chubby  "  at  Nejd,  but 
is  by  some  tribes  of  the  northern  desert.  The  family  of 
Sbeyel  of  the  Gomussa  possesses  the  finest  specimens  of 
the  strain  known  by  that  name.  (2)  Saadan,  often  very 
beautiful  horses;  the  sub-strain,  Saadan  Togan,  is  the 
most  highly  esteemed.  (3)  Dakhman.  (4)  Shueyman. 
The  sub-strain  of  Shueyman  Sbah  are  rated  as  first-class. 
(5)  Jilfan.  Of  this  there  is  a  sub-strain,  Jilfan  Stam  el 
Bulad,  meaning  the  sinews  of  steel.  In  some  parts  of  the 
desert,  the  Jilfan  Stam  el  Bulad  is  prized  equally  with 
Hamdani  Simri.  (6)  Toessan.  Of  this  there  is  the  sub- 
strain  Toessan  Algami.  (7)  Samhan,  with  a  sub-strain, 
Samhan  el  Gomeaa.  The  horses  of  this  family  are  fre- 
quently very  tall,  and  are  much  esteemed.  (8)  Wadnan, 
with  the  sub-strain,  Wadna  Hursan.  (9)  Rishan,  with 
the  sub-strain  Rishan  Sherabi.  (10)  Tamri.  The  Kehei- 
lan  Tamris  are  highly  prized.  (11)  Melekhan.  (12) 
Jereyban.  (13)  Jeytani.  (14)  Ferejan.  (15)  Treyfi. 
(16)  Rabdan.  Besides  these,  there  are  the  Keheilan  Heife, 
Keheilan  Kroash,  Keheilan  el-Ghazala,  Keheilan  al-Denais, 
Keheilan  al-Nowak,  Keheilan  al-Muson,  Keheilan  abu 
junub,  Keheilan  Rodan,  Keheilan  Wadman  Harsan,  Dah- 
man  abu  Amr,  Dahman  Shawan,  Dahnam  Khomais,  Abu 
Arkab,  all  of  which  are  considered  "  chubby."  All  these 
are  Keheilans,  and  most,  or  all  of  them,  have  descended 
from  Keheilan  Ajus. 

166.  Use  for  riding  and  driving.  —  As  a  saddle  horse 
the  Arab  horse  ranks  high.  He  has  always  been  accus- 
tomed to  the  saddle,  and  has  developed  remarkable  en- 


142  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

durance,  carrying  riders  long  journeys,  day  after  day,  in 
a  scorching  sun,  with  little  feed  or  water.  He  can  carry 
very  heavy  weights  on  his  back.  When  hitched  to  the 
carriage,  he  makes  a  gentle,  attractive  driving  horse. 

167.  Use  for  crossing.  —  The  importance  of  the  Arab 
for  cross-breeding  purposes  is  well  known.  He  has  entered 
into  the  development  of  many  of  our  present-day  breeds,  - 
trotting,  running,  saddle,  coach  and  draft,  —  and  has  im- 
parted his  endurance,  quality  and  intelligence  wherever 
used.  That  he  is  still  valued  for  this  purpose  is  evidenced 
by  the  fact  that  in  certain  European  countries  Arab  studs 
are  officially  maintained  for  breeding  purposes.  One  of 
the  most  noticeable  differences  between  our  best  types 
of  to-day,  especially  in  America,  and  the  Arab  horse,  is  the 
flat  and  contracted  sides  of  our  horses  compared  with  the 
round,  barrel-shaped  ribs  of  the  Arabian  and  the  narrow 
openings  of  the  jaw-bones  of  our  horses  compared  with 
the  wide  openings  of  the  jaw-bones  of  the  Arab  horse. 
Another  very  noticeable  difference  is  the  dropping  off 
below  the  knee  of  our  American  horses  compared  with 
the  big,  flat  bone  below  the  knee  of  the  Arab  horse. 

The  finer  quality  of  bone  that  is  transmitted  by  the 
Arab  horse  in  crossing  is  one  of  his  greatest  values. 
Beyond  this,  perhaps,  is  his  ability  to  stamp  evenness 
and  beauty  of  disposition  on  his  offspring,  a  quality 
desired  in  all  horses,  especially  in  cavalry  horses. 
The  very  close  relation  that  has  long  existed  between 
the  Arab  horse  and  his  master,  has  produced  in  him  a 
docility  and  intelligence  that  is  seldom  found  in  horses 
of  other  breeds.  The  prepotency  of  the  Arab  is  due  to 
the  fact  that  in  his  veins  flows  only  pure  blood,  with  no 
admixture  of  cold  blood,  a  fact  that  cannot  be  said  of  any 
other  'breed. 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HOBSES  143 

168.  Feeding  and  care.  —  Unaccustomed  to  much  feed, 
or  regular  feed,  the  Arab  is  likely  to  get  very  fat  under  our 
method  of  feeding,  so  that  the  horse,  once  the  picture  of 
all  that  is  beautiful  and  graceful,  with  us  may  soon  become 
a  fat  horse.     He  thrives  best  on  half  of  what  other  horses 
require.     Of  all  horses,  the  Arabian  is  least  fit  to  stand  idle 
in  his  stall.      His  life  for  centuries  has  been  under  the 
saddle,  as  a  war  horse,  on  the  scantest  rations  any  horse 
lives  on ;  and  to  pen  him  up  in  a  close  stall  and  feed  him 
three  meals  a  day  so  completely  changes  his  life,  that  it 
changes  his  form. 

169.  Distribution.  —  The   home    of   the    Arab    horse, 
speaking  of  the  pure  Arab,  is  the  district  that  is  covered  by 
the  Nomad  Arabs,  and  is  confined  to  Arabia  proper  and 
the  Syrian  desert.     In  its  greatest  perfection  it  is  found 
among  the  Anazeh  and  Shamar  Bedouins,  occupying  the 
territory  east  and  west  along  the  Euphrates  river;  the 
Shamar  on  the  eastern  shore  and  the  Anazeh  west  of  the 
river.     The  latter  make  a  circuit  of  the  desert  annually, 
going  from  the  summer  pastures  near  Aleppo,  in  the  north, 
to  Nejd,  in  the  south,  in  winter.    They  swing  east  past 
Bagdad  and  Deyr  on  their  way  north,  and  on  their  journey 
south,  go  west,  brushing  near  Palmyra  and  Damascus. 
Within  that  circuit  the  home  of  the  Arabian  horse  may 
be  said  to  lie.    The  haunts  of  the  pure  Arabian  are  those 
of  the  desert  Bedouins,  who  still  carry  the  lance.     Of 
course,  specimens  of  pure  blood  can  be  found  sometimes  at 
Beyrout,  and  the  coast  towns,  but  such  horses  have  been 
brought  there  by  wealthy  citizens.     In  like  manner  they 
have  been  carried  into  northern  Africa,  Persia,  Turkey, 
Hungary,  Germany,  France,  Russia,  England  and  America. 

The  adaptability  of  the  Arab  is  noteworthy.     Accus- 
tomed naturally  to  the  most  intense  heat,  yet  he  thrives 


144  THE  BEEED8  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

in  the  extreme  cold,  and  the  writer  has  known  one  to  winter 
perfectly  in  the  mountains  of  Pennsylvania.  His  coat, 
while  fine  and  silky  in  spring  and  summer,  in  winter  is  as 
thick  as  a  beaver's  and  has  an  undercoating  of  fur-like  hair. 
170.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  Arab  Horse 
Club  is  promoting  the  interests  of  the  Arab  horse  and 
registering  both  pure-breds  and  colts  from  Arab  sires  but 
out  of  mares  of  other  breeding.  Arabian  horses  are  now 
eligible  for  registration  in  the  American  Stud-book  and  in 
the  General  Stud-book  of  Great  Britain. 

Literature.  —  Roger  D.  Upton,  Gleanings  from  the  Desert  of 
Arabia,  London  (1881);  Lady  Anne  Blunt,  The  Bedouin  Tribes 
of  the  Euphrates,  2  vols.,  London  (1879);  Same,  A  Pilgrimage  to 
Nejd,  2  vols.,  London  (1881);  Boucant,  The  Arab,  the  Horse  of 
the  Future,  Gay  &  Bird,  Strand,  London  (1905). 


BARB  AND  TURK  HORSES 
By  Carl  W.  Gay 

171.  The  Barb  horse  takes  his  name  from  his  native 
habitat,  the  so-called  Barbary  states  of  nothern  Africa, 
originally  peopled  by  the  Berber  tribes.    These  states  are 
Morocco,  Algeria,  Tunis  and  Tripoli.     The  Barb  is  the 
"  Horse  of  the  Sahara,"  of  Daumas,  the  "  North  African  " 
or  "  Libyan  "  horse  of  Ridge  way.     The  oriental  group  is 
composed  of  the  Barb,  the  Turk  and  the  Arabian,  although 
most  recent  investigations  indicate  the  Barb  to  have  been 
the  real  source  of  all  oriental  blood.     A  common  error  re- 
sulting in  much  confusion  is  the  use  of  the  term  Arabian 
in  a  sense  synonymous  with  oriental. 

172.  History  in  Egypt.  —  History  first  records  the  horse 
under  domestication  in  Egypt,  and  it  is  thought  that  his 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS   OF  HORSES  145 

general  distribution  throughout  the  civilized  world,  which 
took  place  largely  through  the  agency  of  the  conquests  of 
nations,  was  made  from  this  center.  Such  an  indefi- 
nite beginning  is  given  a  more  satisfactory  explanation 
by  the  modern  researches  reported  by  Ridgeway,  which 
he  maintains  are  strongly  suggestive  that  the  Egyptians 
secured  their  horses  from  Libya,  where  they  are  thought 
to  have  been  indigenous.  This  hypothesis  has  a  striking 
significance  in  view  of  the  fact  that  the  Libyan  horse  of 
Ridgeway  is  identical  with  the  subject  of  this  discussion. 

Zoologically,  there  have  been  demonstrated  three  dis- 
tinct species  of  horses  in  the  genus  Equus  besides  the 
various  species  of  asses,  zebras  and  the  extinct  quagga. 
To  these,  Ridgeway  adds  Equus  caballus  libycus,  held  by 
him  to  be  a  distinct  species  or  at  least  a  sub-species.  This 
being  the  case,  we  are  justified  in  accepting  the  Barb  as  the 
progenitor  of  all  modern  light  breeds,  the  Turk  and  Arabian 
being  derivatives,  and  not  antecedents  of  the  Barb.  It  is 
known  that  horses  existed  in  Egypt  1500  years  before 
they  were  in  Arabia,  a  fact  that  is  contrary  to  the  popular 
belief  that  the  genesis  of  all  good  horses  was  in  Arabia.  It 
establishes  the  Barb  as  the  real  origin  of  the  Thoroughbred, 
the  blood  influence  of  which  is  recognized  in  all  horse- 
breeding  countries.  Furthermore,  in  view  of  the  fact  that 
the  Andalusian  horse  of  Spain  traces  its  ancestry  across 
the  Mediterranean,  the  Barb  becomes  an  important 
factor  in  the  horse  population  of  America. 

173.  History  in  America.  —  The  most  notable  oriental 
horses  brought  to  America  are  Grand  Bashaw,  a  Barb  from 
Tripoli,  whose  immediate  descendants  founded  the  Clay, 
Patchen  and  Bashaw  families ;  Zilcaadi,  an  Arabian  from 
Turkey,  and  sire  of  the  dam  of  Gold  Dust ;  and  Leopard, 
an  Arab,  and  Linden  Tree,  a  Barb,  presented  to  General 


146  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Grant  and  used  by  Randolph  Huntington  in  his  creation 
of  the  Clay  Arabian.  Most  important  of  recent  importa- 
tions are  those  of  Homer  Davenport,  the  most  conspicuous 
individual  of  which  is  Haleb  (Fig.  21). 

174  Description.  —  The  Barb  is  fourteen  to  fifteen 
hands  in  height,  short  of  body  in  proportion  to  length  of 
limb,  his  whole  form  being  conducive  to  speed.  The 
head  is  beautifully  proportioned,  with  a  neat  ear,  broad, 
full  forehead,  large,  clear,  prominent  eye,  flashing  fire  and 
yet  expressing  intelligence,  a  deep  jowl  with  open  angle, 
a  trim  muzzle  and  a  nostril  thin  at  the  margin,  capable  of 
great  dilation  and  continually  in  play.  The  head  is  nicely 
set  on  a  rather  long,  high-crested  neck,  well  cut-out  in  the 
throttle  and  giving  the  head  a  lofty  carriage;  shoulders 
well  laid-in  and  sloping,  well  set-up  at  the  withers ;  deep, 
well-arched  rib;  somewhat  drooping  croup,  although  the 
tail  is  carried  high ;  straight  hind-leg,  long  pasterns  and 
rather  deep,  narrow  feet  of  the  most  superior  texture  of 
horn. 

.  The  prevailing  colors  in  Barbary  are  dark  bay,  brown, 
chestnut,  black  and  gray.  Ridgeway  concurs  with  other 
authors  in  his  conclusions  that  bay  with  some  white  mark- 
ings, as  a  star  or  a  blaze,  together  with  white  coronets,  was 
the  original  color  of  the  pure  Barb.  He  reasons  that  the 
rigid  course  of  selection  which  modern,  scientific  breeding 
has  established  for  the  improvement  of  the  race  is,  inciden- 
tally, gradually  eliminating  all  but  bays  and  allied  browns 
and  chestnuts,  and  indicates  the  final  exclusion  of  all  but 
the  bays.  Statistics  regarding  the  winners  of  the  prin- 
cipal racing  events  bear  out  this  conclusion.  Thus,  as  the 
"  blood  tells,"  the  bay  color  predominates. 

175.  Use  of  the  Barb.  —  Some  idea  of  the  extent  to 
which  the  oriental  blood  has  proved  a  potent  factor  in  the 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS   OF  HORSES  147 

foundation  or  improvement  of  modern  breeds  may  be  had 
from  a  review  of  the  origin  of  some  of  them.  The  term 
oriental  is  used  in  this  connection  for  the  reason  that 
earlier  writers  were  not  specific  in  their  references  to 
Barbs,  Turks  or  Arabians.  The  Darley  Arabian,  Byerly 
Turk  and  Godolphin  Barb,  with  the  "  Barb  mares,"  have 
been  called  the  real  foundation  of  the  Thoroughbred.  The 
Percheron  owes  his  origin  to  the  mating  of  oriental  horses, 
left  by  the  Saracens  or  brought  back  by  the  Crusaders, 
with  native  French  mares  of  the  Flemish  blood.  Subse- 
quently, there  were  made  at  intervals  systematic  top  crosses 
of  blood  from  the  Orient.  Gallipoli  and  Godolphin  were 
two  of  the  most  important  of  these,  and  the  former  is  re- 
garded as  the  most  influential  sire  in  the  history  of  the 
breed.  The  prototype  of  the  Hackney,  the  Norfolk 
trotter,  was  the  result  of  a  Barb  union  with  the  Black 
trotter  of  Friesland.  The  Cleveland  Bay  was  the  product 
of  a  Barb- Yorkshire  cart  horse  cross.  The  hot  blood  of  the 
desert  is  mentioned  in  connection  with  the  origin  of  the 
German  coach  horse.  Bars  1st,  progenitor  of  the 
Russian  Orloff  trotter,  was  three  generations  removed 
from  Smetanka,  a  gray  Arabian  taken  into  Russia.  The 
Prussian  Trakehner  is  derived  from  an  admixture  of 
oriental  and  Thoroughbred  blood  with  the  native  stock. 

176.  Importance  of  the  Barb.  —  The  importance  of  the 
Barb  is  a  matter  of  history,  although  it  is  only  recently 
that  there  has  been  available  much  reliable  data  concern- 
ing him.  Much  of  the  early  literature  has  been  more  or 
less  obscured  in  mythology  and  superstition. 

A  study  of  the  origin  of  each  of  the  breeds  of  horses 
shows  that  there  were  two  original  sources  from  which 
the  foundation  blood  of  each  breed  was  drawn.  These 
were  the  Wild  Black  horse  of  Flanders,  thought  to  have 


148  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

been  indigenous  to  central  Europe  from  the  Rhine  river 
to  the  Black  sea,  and  characterized  by  his  great  scale, 
grossness,  slow  awkward  movement,  sluggish  lymphatic 
temperament,  black  color  and  extreme  development  of 
hair ;  and  the  oriental  horse,  native  to  the  desert  regions 
of  northern  Africa,  Turkey,  Asia  Minor,  Persia  and  Arabia, 
the  most  notable  characteristics  of  which  were  extreme 
refinement  and  breediness,  beauty  of  form,  spirit  and  in- 
telligence, speed,  stamina  and  grace  of  movement,  and  an 
active  nervous  temperament.  The  breeds  of  the  heavier, 
draftier  type  show  a  preponderance  of  the  characters  of 
the  former,  while  those  of  the  lighter,  speed  type  re- 
semble more  closely  the  latter.  The  so-called  coach 
breeds  represent  a  more  or  less  proportionate  blending  of 
the  two. 

177.  Organizations  and  records.  —  Barbs  are  registered 
in  the  Algerian   Stud-book,  a  book  of  record  formerly 
recognized  by  the  United  States  Department  of  Agricul- 
ture.    It  is  said  that  the  number  of  English  and  French 
horses  in  Algeria  has  led  to  the  Barb  being  more  exten- 
sively crossed  with  this  blood  than  in  Morocco,  where 
there  are  fewer  foreign  horses,  and  systematic  efforts  have 
been  made  under  the  direction  of  the  Sultan  to  keep  the 
blood  pure.     Some  Barbs  are  also  registered  with  Arabians 
in  the  General  Stud-book  of  Great  Britain. 

178.  The  Turk  horse.  —  This  horse,  named  with  the 
Barb  and  the  Arabian  as  constituting  the  so-called  oriental 
group,  has  much  less  significance  than  either  of  his  contem- 
poraries.    Sanders  suggests  that  the  horses  of  Arabia  and 
Persia  were  originally  derived  from  Turkey.     In  the  light 
of  recent  investigations  we  are  led  to  conclude  that  the 
term  Turk  does  not  imply  any  particular  stock,  but  desig- 
nates merely  the  horses  of  Turkey.     These  have  been  of 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS   OF  HORSES  149 

a  different  character  at  different  periods.  The  originals, 
called  Turcoman,  were  probably  offshoots  from  the  pony 
types  native  to  the  mountainous  districts  of  southern  Asia. 
They  were  first  reported  in  Turkestan,  but  became  gen- 
erally distributed  later  in  Turkish  Asia  and  Persia ;  there 
are  few  horses  in  Turkey  in  Europe.  These  original  ponies 
do  not  represent  the  Turk  as  he  is  referred  to  in  recent 
times,  however.  Their  type  has  been  so  completely  modi- 
fied by  the  Arabians  with  which  they  have  been  crossed 
as  to  leave  little  evidence  of  their  former  characteristics. 
However,  plain  heads  with  Roman  noses,  ewe  necks,  light 
middles  and  long  legs  are  still  noticeable,  and  are  charged 
to  the  Turcoman  foundation.  These  modified  Turkish 
horses  are  of  fair  size,  bay,  black  or  gray  in  color,  with 
uniform  white  markings.  In  those  parts  of  Turkey 
nearest  the  Arabian  border,  many  pure  Arabians  are  found. 
Captain  Hayes  reports  that  the  horses  in  ordinary  use  in 
Turkish  towns  at  the  present  time  are  small,  hardy  ani- 
mals, gray  or  bay  in  color,  and  are  produced  by  Arabian 
stallions  out  of  Kurdistan  pony  mares,  the  latter  being 
similar  to  the  Turcoman  ponies  already  referred  to,  and 
typical  of  the  horses  indigenous  to  Turkey.  Probably 
the  best  Turks,  so-called,  were  not  Turks  at  all,  but  Ara- 
bians or  Barbs. 

Literature.  —  E.  Daumas,  The  Horses  of  the  Sahara,  London 
(1863). 

HUNTER  HORSE.    Fig.  22. 
By  W.  C.  Bacon 

179.  The  Hunter,  as  bred  in  America,  cannot  yet  be 
called  a  breed  of  horses.  The  Irish  Hunter,  however,  has 
been  recognized  as  a  distinct  breed  for  a  hundred  years  or 


150  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

more.  The  Hunter  has  been  developed  in  Ireland  as  the 
result  of  a  demand  for  horses  with  Thoroughbred  or  saddle 
conformation,  that  were  able  to  carry  much  more  weight 
than  the  pure-bred  Thoroughbred.  Ireland,  therefore, 
may  be  said  to  be  the  home  of  the  Hunter,  or  where  this 
type  of  horse  has  been  bred  for  so  many  years  that  it  has 
long  since  been  classed  as  a  distinct  breed,  and  recognized 
as  such  at  all  the  fairs  and  horse-shows  in  Great  Britain. 

180.  History.  —  The  breeding  of  Hunters  in  America 
has  hardly  progressed  far  enough  in  any  one  section  of  the 
country  to  distinguish  such  animals  as  "  pure-bred."  How- 
ever, a  great  many  animals  are  yearly  bred  in  this  country 
for  the  special  purpose  of  producing  Hunters.  The  method 
of  breeding  is  the  same  as  originally  adopted  in  Ireland, 
namely,  the  use  of  Thoroughbred  stallions  on  native  or 
grade  mares.  The  breeders  of  Hunters  are  usually  able 
to  produce,  even  in  the  first  cross,  saddle  conformation, 
and  at  the  same  time  to  have  transmitted  to  such  a  cross 
sufficient  of  the  courage,  intelligence  and  staying  qualities 
of  the  Thoroughbred  to  make  the  first  cross  (half-blood)  a 
most  satisfactory  animal  for  cross-country  riding  to  hounds. 
The  fact  that  those  half-,  three-quarter-  and  seven-eighth- 
blood  horses  make  such  satisfactory  Hunters  is  probably 
the  reason  why,  in  this  country,  there  has  been  no  general 
movement  in  any  one  section  to  continue  special  breeding. 
However,  a  great  many  clean-bred  horses  are  favored  by 
many  persons  for  cross-country  work.  This  special  line 
of  breeding  has  not  been  followed  long  enough  for  the  breed 
to  become  fixed.  In  fact,  the  demand  for  such  horses  has 
always  exceeded  the  supply  in  America  to  such  an  extent 
that  the  type  has  never  had  an  opportunity  to  become 
thoroughly  established.  Nevertheless,  there  has  been  a 
National  Steeple  Chase  and  Hunt  Association  organized 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  151 

in  America  under  the  auspices  of  the  Jockey  Club,  that 
admits  to  register  almost  any  animal  with  one  or  more 
crosses  of  Thoroughbred  blood,  that  has  been  regularly 
"  hunted  "  a  certain  number  of  times,  with  some  recog- 
nized pack  of  hounds,  and  approved  by  the  master. 

Hunter-breeding  in  America  is  conducted  to  a  limited 
extent  in  the  neighborhood  of  most  of  the  organized  hunt 
clubs,  of  which  there  are  some  fifty  in  the  eastern  states. 
In  such  sections  one  will  find  one  to  half  a  dozen  Thorough- 
bred stallions  in  general  use  among  the  farmers  of  that 
special  community.  In  the  Genesee  valley  in  Livingston 
county,  New  York,  for  example,  there  are  no  less  than 
eight  Thoroughbred  stallions  within  a  radius  of  fifteen 
miles,  being  used  on  the  farm  mares  of  the  neighborhood 
for  the  special  purpose  of  breeding  Hunters.  Virginia 
probably  produces  more  animals  that  are  especially  bred 
for  hunting  than  any  other  state.  Of  late  years,  however, 
the  Jockey  Club  has  put  out  many  Thoroughbred  stallions 
throughout  the  state  of  New  York.  Hitherto,  Canada 
has  been  one  of  the  principal  sources  from  which  American 
hunting  men  have  been  supplied.  The  Canadian  Hunters 
come  largely  from  between  Toronto  and  London,  Ontario, 
where  Thoroughbred  stallions  have  been  very  generally 
used. 

181.  Description.  —  The  Hunter  should  not  be  high- 
headed,  and  the  longer  the  rein  the  better.  The  fore-hand 
should  be  light.  The  withers  should  be  higher  than  the 
croup,  and  the  bones  of  the  fore-limb  comparatively  long, 
so  as  to  be  able  efficiently  to  raise  the  fore-hand  both  in 
taking  and  landing.  The  shoulders  and  pasterns  should 
be  long  and  sloping.  The  muscles  that  lie  above  the  fore- 
arm should  be  well  developed,  as  the  fore-arm  straightens 
the  shoulder  joint  and  the  latter  straightens  the  elbow 


152  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

joint,  two  actions  which  help  to  prevent  the  horse  falling 
when  he  lands  over  a  jump.  The  muscles  over  the  loins 
behind  the  saddle  should  be  particularly  strong.  The 
hocks  should  be  large  and  gaskins  broad. 

The  following  is  a  detailed  description  of  the  points  of  an 
ideal  Hunter  :  Head.  — Ears  fine,  not  too  large,  approach- 
ing each  other  at  the  tips,  when  thrown  forward ;  cranium 
broad  and  nicely  rounded ;  forehead  flat  and  broad ;  eyes 
wide  apart,  prominent  and  bold  in  expression ;  nasal  bones 
straight  in  front,  but  slightly  dished  on  lateral  surfaces; 
nostrils  firm,  large  and  flexible,  of  large  capacity  when  the 
animal  is  excited ;  lips  firm,  mouth  medium-sized  ;  muzzle 
small  and  tapering;  cheeks  well  but  not  too  heavily 
clothed  with  hard,  well-developed  muscles;  branches  of 
lower  jaw  well  spread  apart  at  their  angles.  Neck.  — 
Clean-cut  and  rangy ;  crest  well  developed  and  whipcordy, 
but  not  so  heavy  as  in  other  classes ;  head  well  attached  to 
neck  in  a  graceful,  angular  manner;  jugular  gutter  well 
developed.  Withers.  —  Well  developed,  high,  and  not 
too  wide  on  top.  The  withers  should  be  sloping  and  of 
such  form  that  the  saddle  may  be  placed  well  back  over  the 
center  of  gravity,  which  is  especially  desirable  in  negotiat- 
ing timber.  Shoulders.  —  Long  and  oblique,  so  as  to  give 
easy  action;  shoulder-blades  well  covered  with  muscles. 
Chest.  —  Deep,  giving  good  girths,  with  a  well-filled  breast. 
Arm.  — Thrown  well  forward,  so  as  to  give  an  oblique  shoul- 
der. Forearm.  —  Long,  well  developed  and  strong,  well 
clothed  with  hard,  well-developed  muscles,  having  grooves 
of  demarcation  between  them,  showing  the  outlines  of 
each  individual  muscle.  Knee. —  Clean,  straight,  large 
and  strong  in  all  directions,  the  bone  forming  the  back  part 
being  somewhat  prominent.  Knee  to  fetlock  joint.  — 
Cannon  short,  broad,  flat  and  clean;  tendons  standing 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS   OF  HORSES  153 

out  plainly,  hard  and  whipcordy.  The  lines  of  demarca- 
tion between  tendon  and  ligament,  and  between  ligament 
and  bone,  must  be  well  supported  beneath  the  knee,  not 
showing  any  tendency  to  weakness.  Fetlocks.  —  Strong 
and  well  supported.  Front  pastern.  —  Strong,  medium 
length  and  oblique.  Front  feet.  —  Rather  smaller  in  pro- 
portion than  in  horses  of  other  breeding,  round,  strong  and 
fairly  deep  wall ;  soles  concave,  frog  well  developed ;  heels 
full  and  not  too  deep ;  toes  turning  neither  in  nor  out  while 
standing.  Body.  —  Back  strong  and  inclined  to  be  short, 
with  a  long  under-line ;  loin  broad  and  well  muscled ;  ribs 
well  sprung  and  of  good  depth.  The  under-line  must  be 
long,  otherwise  the  horse  will  be  shortened  in  his  gait.  To 
get  this  long  under-line,  perhaps  a  longer  back  will  be 
required  than  would  otherwise  be  desirable.  Croup.  — 
Well  muscled,  carried  out  straight  to  tail,  which  should  be 
full  haired  and  very  stylishly  carried.  Hock. — Deep  and 
strong  in  all  directions ;  all  points  well  developed,  but  not 
rough ;  absence  of  malformations  or  puffiness ;  point  very 
well  developed,  straight  on  posterior  border;  the  whole 
joint  clean,  hard  and  of  an  angular  shape.  Hock  to  fet- 
lock. —  Cannon  short,  wider  and  flatter  than  in  front ; 
tendons  well  marked  individually,  and  must  not  have  a 
pinched  appearance  below  joint  in  front,  but  very  gradu- 
ally taper  in  width  from  hock  to  fetlock.  Fetlock  joint.  — 
Large,  clean-cut  and  strong.  Hind  pasterns.  —  Medium 
length,  sloping  and  strong.  Hind-feet.  —  Smaller  and  not 
so  round  as  the  front  ones ;  sole  more  concave ;  frog  well 
developed ;  heel  good  width  and  not  too  deep.  Color.  — 
Bay,  brown,  chestnut,  black,  roan  and  gray ;  with  reason- 
able modifications.  Skin  and  hair. — Skin  soft,  mellow  and 
loose,  hair  fine,  silky  and  straight.  Temperament.  —  Mild, 
energetic,  not  vicious  nor  too  nervous.  Action.  —  Prompt, 


154 


THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 


free  and  elastic,  not  too  much  knee  and  hock  action,  but 
going  close  to  the  ground,  especially  in  the  canter  and 
gallop;  no  paddle  or  roll,  and  feet  not  to  go  close 
enough  to  interfere;  a  good  straightaway  walker. 
Weight.  — 1000  to  1300  pounds.  Height.  — 15  hands 
1  inch  to  16  hands  and  over  (Fig.  22). 


FIG.  22.  —  Heavy-weight  Hunter. 

182.  Classes.  —  At  the  leading  horse-shows  there  are 
several  classes  for  Hunters  of  different  types  and  different 
weight-carrying    abilities.     Qualified   Hunters  are    those 
that  have  been  registered  with  the  National  Steeple  Chase 
and   Hunt   Association,    but   need    not   be    clean   bred. 
Heavy-weight   Hunters  must  carry  up  to  200  pounds  to 
hounds     (qualified    and    not    qualified).     Middle-weight 
Hunters  must  carry  up  to  180  pounds  to  hounds  (qualified 
and  not  qualified).     Light-weight  Hunters  must  carry  up 
to  165  pounds  to  hounds  (qualified  and  not  qualified). 
Thoroughbred  Hunters  must  be  registered  in  the  stud-book. 

183.  Uses.  —  The  Hunter  should  not  have  more  than 
three  or  four  days  of  all-day  fox-hunting  in  a  fortnight; 
with  drags,  some  may  go  three  times  a  week,  but  much 


THE  SADDLE  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  155 

depends  on  the  going  and  the  length  of  the  runs.  The 
Hunter  should  be  jogged  home  after  the  hunt,  given  warm 
gruel  and  thoroughly  rubbed.  A  groom  should  exercise 
him  gently  on  non-hunting  days  for  about  five  miles  early 
in  the  morning.  He  should  be  carefully  looked  after  and 
given  the  best  of  oats  and  hay.  The  night  before  he  is  to 
be  "  hunted/'  water  should  be  kept  in  his  stall  all  night, 
so  that  he  may  take  it  at  will.  He  should  be  fed  very 
early  and  saddled  only  just  before  he  is  ordered. 

184 .  Steeple-chasers .  —  The  Steeple-chaser  is  almost  al- 
ways a  clean-bred  horse,  that  has  natural  or  made  adapta- 
bility to  jump.     He  must  be   more  seasoned   than  the 
Thoroughbred  that  is  to  run  on  the  flat,  and  must  be  up 
to  a  good  deal  more  weight.    There  are  certain  blood 
lines  that  have  produced  natural  jumpers,  which,  when 
"  nicked  "  with  certain  mares,  have  produced  fencers. 
Many  horses  that,  perhaps,  have  not  enough  speed  for 
the  flat,  have  been  schooled  and  made  good  chasers.     Un- 
like the  steady  fox-hunting  Hunter,  the  Steeple-chaser 
must  be  able  to  go  a  good  pace  and  take  his  fences  flying, 
or  almost 'as  fast  as  in  a  hurdle  race.     In  this  type  of  horse, 
the  adaptability  for  the  special  performance  and  the  result 
gives   the   horse    his    place    and    name    as    a    Steeple- 
chaser. 

185.  Distribution.  —  As  hunting  has  long  occupied  a 
place  in  the  sports  of  nations,  horses  that  may  be  charac- 
terized as  Hunters  are  widely  distributed.     From  Ireland, 
the  home  of  the  breed,  the  Hunter  has  been  scattered  over 
Great  Britain  and  the  continent.     In  1904,  the  Dutch  gov- 
ernment bought  350  young  mares  of  this  breed  in  Ireland. 
In  America,  both  Canada  and  the  United  States  are  de- 
voting increasing  attention  to  the  production  of  horses  for 
hunting  purposes. 


156  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

186.  Organizations  and  records.  —  In  Great  Britain, 
the  interests  of  the  breed  are  in  the  hands  of  the  Hunter 
Improvement  Society  of  Great  Britain.  Two  volumes  of 
the  Hunter  Stud-book  have  been  published  and  a  third  is  in 
preparation.  The  pedigree  qualifications  of  the  Hunter 
Stud-book  are  that  the  stallions  shall  be  by  a  Thoroughbred 
or  registered  Hunter  sire  out  of  a  fully  registered  mare,  and 
the  mares  shall  show  two  crosses  of  Thoroughbred  or 
registered  Hunter  blood,  viz.,  sire  and  dam's  sire,  or  if 
dams  of  winners  of  races  under  rules,  and  accepted  after 
inspection.  The  supplement  of  the  stud-book  is  open  to 
mares  (1)  by  a  Thoroughbred  or  registered  Hunter  sire, 
winners  or  dams  of  winners  of  prizes  or  medals  at  national, 
county  or  associated  shows,  or  (2)  by  inspection  and  veteri- 
nary examination.  In  America,  the  Jockey  Club,  with 
headquarters  in  New  York  City,  was  instrumental  in  the 
organization  of  the  National  Steeple  Chase  and  Hunt  As- 
sociation, which  registers  and  otherwise  looks  after  the 
development  of  the  Hunter  and  the  Steeple-chaser. 

Literature. — The  literature  of  the  Hunter  is  for  the  most  part 
interwoven  with  expositions  of  the  chase,  and  is  not  specific  and 
direct.  Yet  some  direct  discussions  will  be  found  in  the  works 
referred  to  on  page  416.  Other  references  are  :  Peer,  Cross  Country 
with  Horse  and  Hound;  Walsh,  The  Horse  in  the  Stable  and  in 
the  Field,  London  (1871);  Goodwin,  The  Turf  Guides;  Nimrod, 
The  Chase,  the  Road,  and  the  Turf ;  Whyte,  The  History  of  the  British 
Turf,  two  volumes,  London  (1840) ;  Curzon,  A  Mirror  of  the  Turf, 
London  (1892). 


CHAPTER  V 

THE  PONY  BREEDS  OF  HORSES 
By  S.  B.  Elliot 

PONIES  are  fourteen  hands  two  inches  or  under,  and 
all  equine  breeds  in  which  that  limit  is  not  exceeded  are 
classed  as  pony  breeds.  All  diminutive  equines  are 
characterized  by  being  especially  close  and  full  made 
with  an  apparent  ruggedness  expressed  in  the  unusual 
bone  and  muscular  development  which  they  possess. 

AMERICAN  PONIES.    Fig.  23. 

187.  The  dividing  line  between  the  horse  and  the 
pony  was  vague  and  undefined  until  the  Hackney  Horse 
Society  was  established  in  England  in  1883.  All  horses 
measuring  fourteen  hands  or  under  were  then  designated 
ponies,  and  registered  in  a  separate  part  of  the  stud-book. 
This  standard  of  height  was  accepted  and  officially  rec- 
ognized by  leading  agricultural  and  horse-show  societies 
in  England,  and  subsequently  in  America.  In  1905,  the 
American  Hackney  Horse  Society  increased  the  height 
of  ponies  to  fourteen  hands  one  inch,  and  in  the  case  of 
polo  ponies  the  limit  of  height  had  previously  been  raised 
to  fourteen  hands  two  inches,  which  is  now  the  generally 
accepted  pony  standard. 

Adverse  climatic  conditions,  promiscuous  breeding 
and  privation  have  had  much  to  do  with  the  development 

157 


158  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

of  most  breeds  of  ponies.  Distinct  types  of  ponies  are 
found  in  almost  every  country,  the  chief  types  being  the 
Arab  and  his  near  allies,  the  Turks,  Barbs  and  Persians, 
the  Mongolian,  Japanese,  Korean,  Burma  and  Manipuri 
pony,  Sumatra  and  Java  pony,  Russian,  Scandinavian  or 
Norwegian  pony,  the  Celtic  or  pony  of  Iceland,  the  ponies 
of  the  British  Isles,  and,  in  America,  the  ponies'  of  the 
western  states.  While  some  of  these,  perhaps,  are  only 
of  remote  interest  in  America  at  present,  it  has  been 
thought  best  to  discuss  most  of  them  briefly. 

188.  Use  and  value  of  the  pony.  —  The  usefulness 
and  value  of  the  pony  is  just  beginning  to  be  appreciated 
in  America.  Ponies  cost  much  less  to  feed,  consume  less 
and  thrive  on  rougher  food  than  the  large  horse,  and  they 
will  travel  as  far;  many,  in  fact,  will  outdistance  the 
large  horse.  The  thirteen-hand  pony  will  do  a  horse's 
work  on  half  his  feed  and  requires  less  attendance. 
Ponies  have  better  feet,  legs  and  wind,  and  are  less  sus- 
ceptible to  disease  than  large  horses.  They  stand  more 
hardship,  recover  more  quickly  from  fatigue  and  live 
longer.  They  have,  moreover,  much  greater  intelligence, 
and  for  this  reason  are  much  less  likely  to  take  fright  at 
objects  on  the  road. 

The  principal  cause  of  the  marked  superiority  in  con- 
stitution of  the  present-day  pony  over  the  horse,  and 
of  his  greater  intelligence,  is  accounted  for  by  his  having 
to  shift  for  himself  on  the  hills  and  wastes,  and  this 
hardiness  and  intelligence  is  transmitted  to  generations 
born  in  domestication.  The  horse  reared  in  captivity 
with  everything  done  for  his  comfort,  has  not  the  same 
toughness  as  the  pony ;  no  demand  is  made  on  his  intel- 
ligence, and  his  mental  faculties  remain,  to  a  great  ex- 
tent, undeveloped.  In  the  pony,  unsoundness  *of  wind 


THE  PONY  BREEDS  OF  HORSES       159 

or  limb  is  almost  unknown.  For  generations  ponies 
have  been  accustomed  to  pick  their  way  up  and  down 
stony  precipitous  hillsides.  Their  feet  and  legs  conse- 
quently are  of  the  very  best,  and  they  are  remarkably 
sure-footed. 

History  of  horses  in  warfare  is  replete  with  accounts 
of  the  endurance  of  ponies  and  their  ability  to  thrive  on 
poor  and  scanty  food.  Sir  Walter  Gilbey,  in  "  Ponies, 
Past  and  Present,"  gives  an  interesting  account.  Sir 
Teddy,  a  twelve-hand  pony,  raced  with  the  London  mail 
coach  to  Exeter,  a  distance  of  172  miles.  He  was  led 
between  two  horses  all  the  way,  and  carried  no  rider, 
performing  the  journey  in  23  hours  and  20  minutes,  beat- 
ing the  coach  by  59  minutes.  J.  C.  Appleby,  in  his  book, 
"  Nimrod,"  mentions  the  fact  that  during  the  drawing  of 
the  Irish  lottery  the  news  was  conveyed  by  express  from 
Holyhead  to  London,  chiefly  by  ponies,  at  the  rate  of 
nearly  twenty  miles  an  hour.  Mr.  Whyte,  in  his  "  His- 
tory of  the  British  Turf,"  gives  an  account  of  a  thirteen- 
hand  three-inch  mare  belonging  to  Mr.  Daniel  Crocker, 
that  in  April,  1754,  traveled  300  miles  on  Newmarket 
Heath  in  64  hours  and  20  minutes,  which  was  7  hours  and 
40  minutes  better  than  the  time  for  which  she  had  been 
backed  to  perform  the  journey;  namely,  72  hours.  On 
one  of  the  days,  Tuesday,  April  23,  she  went  108  miles; 
the  day  before  and  the  day  after  she  covered  96  miles, 
each  day.  She  was  ridden  by  a  boy  who  weighed  65 
pounds,  and  this  did  not  include  saddle  and  bridle.  In 
our  own  country  there  are  many  accounts  of  endurance 
of  western  ponies. 

Nor  is  it  only  in  endurance  that  the  pony  excels.  His 
greater  stamina  is  also  evidenced  in  his  length  of  life. 
The  following  instances  in  which  ponies  have  attained 


160  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

to  great  age  are  cited  by  Sir  Walter  Gilbey :  "  Mr.  Ed- 
mund F.  Deane,  of  Gaulstown  Co.,  Westmeath,  lost  a 
pony  in  December,  1894,  which  had  reached  the  age  of 
39  years ;  in  1896,  Mrs.  Pratt,  of  Low  Pond  House,  Be- 
dale,  Yorks,  lost  a  pony  mare  aged  45  years ;  on  Christ- 
mas Day,  1863,  there  died  at  Silworthy,  near  Clovelly 
in  North  Devon,  a  pony  that  had  arrived  within  a  few 
weeks  of  his  sixtieth  year.  Accounts  of  ponies  which 
lived,  and  in  some  cases  worked,  until  they  reached  40, 
38,  37  and  35  years  also  recur  to  mind." 

Ponies  in  America  are  used  chiefly  for  children's  pur- 
poses and  for  playing  polo.  In  Europe,  in  England 
particularly,  they  serve  a  much  greater  variety  of  pur- 
poses. Some  are  worked  in  coal  mines,  but  a  great 
many  more  are  put  to  use  above  ground.  Green 
grocers,  fish  mongers,  market  men,  small  merchants,  all 
employ  them  for  delivery  purposes.  Country  gentlemen, 
doctors,  land  agents,  in  fact  all  persons  having  occasion 
to  travel,  depend  upon  ponies  a  great  deal.  There  is  good 
reason  for  stating  that  ponies  could  be  used  to  far  greater 
advantage  in  America  than  they  are  at  present.  For 
light  work  they  could  be  utilized  in  many  places  instead  of 
large  horses  at  a  considerable  saving.  Ponies  in  America, 
the  western  ponies  in  particular,  have  long  been  availed 
of  for  saddle  purposes,  but  ponies  as  a  first  mount  for 
children  are  just  beginning  to  be  appreciated. 

189.  The  polo  pony.  —  The  increasing  popularity  of 
polo  is  attracting  much  attention  to  mounts  suitable  for 
playing  the  game.  Polo  originally  was  an  oriental  game, 
being  the  national  game  of  the  Manipuri,  from  whom  the 
Europeans  first  learned  it.  It  was  introduced  into  India 
proper  in  1864,  and  was  played  in  England  by 
the  officers  of  the  10th  Hussars  in  the  year  1872,  on 


THE  PONY  BREEDS   OF  HORSES 


161 


their  return  from  service  in  India.  It  is  now  played  in 
France  and  other  parts  of  Europe,  and  is  becoming  very 
popular  in  America.  The  best  type  of  mounts  for  playing 
the  game  is  scarce  and  very  costly. 

The  mount  that  is  in  such  demand  and  brings  such  a 
high  price,  is  really  not  a  pony  but  a  small  horse.  He 
does  not  necessarily  belong  to  any  distinct  breed,  and  is 
generally  the  result  of 
a  cross.  The  regula- 
tion height  has  been 
raised  to  fifteen  hands. 
He  must  be  a  powerful, 
speedy,  sound,  handy 
animal,  with  great  stay- 
ing power  and  courage, 
high  in  front,  with 
sweeping  shoulders  and 
good  strong  hocks.  The 
necessary  speed  and 
courage  are  rarely  found  except  in  those  ponies  that  have 
a  preponderance  of  race-horse  blood  in  their  veins.  He 
must  be  able  to  carry  160  to  200  pounds'  weight,  make 
incessant  turns,  twists  and  stops  at  full  speed,  and  make 
short  spurts  of  hard  galloping,  all  of  which  take  more 
out  of  a  pony  than  would  a  race  out  of  a  race  horse 
(Fig.  23). 

The  Thoroughbred  race  horse  has  the  speed  and  cour- 
age, but  rarely  the  strong  hind-quarters  and  the  power 
necessary  to  enable  him  to  stop  quickly  and  turn  sharply 
at  the  gallop.  The  Arab,  while  having  great  staying 
power,  is  rarely  sufficiently  speedy;  and  the  Mustang 
has  not  the  speed  or  the  courage  to  make  a  good  polo 
mount,  even  if  he  had  the  other  qualifications.  The  best 


FIG.  23.  —  Polo  pony. 


162  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

polo  mount  seems  to  be  one  that  is  three-quarters  Thor- 
oughbred. As  laid  down  by  E.  D.  Miller  in  his  book, 
"  Modern  Polo,"  the  polo  mount  should  be  a  Thoroughbred 
out  of  a  mare  by  a  Thoroughbred;  that  is,  it  should 
be  three-quarters  Thoroughbred  race  horse. 

In  America,  the  mounts  used  to  play  the  game  are  secured 
chiefly  from  the  West,  and  the  demand  for  mounts  here  is 
not  yet  anything  like  what  it  is  in  England.  The  supply 
is  entirely  inadequate  to  meet  the  demand,  and  polo 
mounts  are  sought  for  the  English  market  not  only  in 
America,  including  Canada,  Mexico  and  Argentina,  but 
in  every  corner  of  the  horse-breeding  world,  —  Egypt, 
Syria,  Barbary,  Russia,  France,  Persia  and  South  Africa. 
While  the  mounts  thus  secured  are  not  equal  in  speed, 
endurance  or  courage  to  the  English  or  American  race 
horse,  the  best,  when  trained  and  fitted,  command  very 
high  prices.  The  prices  may  be  said  to  range  anywhere 
from  $300  to  $3000.  In  fact,  there  is  no  limit  to  the 
price,  as  those  who  play  the  game  are,  as  a  rule,  men  of 
means  to  whom  a  really  good  animal  is  cheap  at  any 
price.  The  exacting  qualifications,  however,  make  first- 
class  polo  mounts  rare. 

Breeding  polo  mounts  at  present  is  somewhat  of  an 
experiment  and  presents  many  difficulties,  the  chief 
being  the  limit  of  height.  All  breeding  of  horses  goes 
to  prove  the  impossibility  of  insuring  the  progeny  of  any 
given  size.  In  America,  the  western  pony  mare  is  bred 
to  small  Thoroughbred  stallions,  and  in  a  very  few  cases 
to  Arabian  horses.  In  England,  to  keep  the  size  down, 
pure  pony  blood  as  foundation  stock  is  being  used  to 
found  a  breed  of  polo  mounts,  the  fillies  being  bred  back 
to  stallions  of  the  same  breed  as  their  sires,  the  produce 
of  which  will  be  three-quarters  Thoroughbred.  The 


THE  PONT  BREEDS   OF  HORSES  163 

Thoroughbred  race  horse  of  late  years  has  been  increas- 
ing in  height  and  small  ones  are  likely  to  be  only  runts 
whose  produce  is  likely  to  exceed  the  limit  in  height. 
The  Arab  in  many  ways  is  desirable,  as  he  has  the  consti- 
tution, the  endurance  and  the  strength,  but  not  the  speed. 
The  Arab,  moreover,  is  more  likely  to  be  of  the  right  size, 
and  by  reason  of  his  great  antiquity  and  the  fixed  char- 
acter of  the  breed,  he  impresses  more  certainly  and  more 
markedly  his  likeness  on  his  stock  than  any  other  breed. 

There  is  generally  a  good  demand  for  ponies  that 
have  been  discarded  from  the  game  because  of  defi- 
ciency in  speed,  courage  or  other  essential  qualifica- 
tions. They  make  good  hacks  and  often  good  saddle 
ponies  for  children  and  young  persons.  The  pony 
Battledor  (Fig.  23),  with  her  fore-legs  bandaged,  as  in 
playing  the  game,  is  a  type  of  light-weight  western  polo 
mount. 

A  polo  pony  stud-book  has  been  started  in  England, 
and  there  is  every  reason  to  suppose  that  one  will  be 
started  in  this  country  in  the  near  future. 

190.  The  Mustang.  —  The  ponies  of  the  western  states 
of  America,  the  Mustangs,  are  in  the  case  of  those  of  the 
southwestern  states  apparently  of  Moorish  origin,  com- 
ing into  this  country  by  way  of  Mexico  and  having 
been  brought  over  originally  by  the  Spaniards.  To 
these  ponies  the  term  Bronco  is  often  applied,  which  is 
derived  from  the  Spanish  word  "  bronco,"  meaning  rough 
or  wild.  The  pony  of  the  northwestern  states  and 
Canada,  termed  Indian  pony,  appears  to  be  of  Norman 
origin,  although  often  these  two  breeds  are  more  or  less 
mixed.  Very  many  of  the  small  horses  at  the  present 
time  in  the  western  part  of  the  United  States  have  been 
crossed  more  or  less  with  the  American  trotter,  the 


164  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Thoroughbred  or  the  Arabian  horses.  These  still 
are  known  as  Broncos,  although  in  recent  years  they  are 
more  commonly  termed  "  cow  ponies,"  from  the  use  that 
is  made  of  them  in  herding  and  driving  cattle  on  the 
ranges. 

191.  The  Bronco.  —  The  Broncos,  like  all  horses  in  a 
semi-wild  state,  have  good  constitutions,  and  the  best 
of  feet,  but  because  of  inbreeding  and  want  of  selection, 
they  may  not  be  good  in  general  conformation.  "In 
general,  the  Bronco  is  an  exceedingly  hardy,  wiry  little 
horse,  possessed  of  considerable  endurance.  In  the  best 
types  the  head  is  small,  clean-cut  and  refined,  with 
bright,  piercing  eyes,  small  ears  and  attractive  appear- 
ance, although  many  individuals  have  ill-formed  heads. 
The  neck  of  the  better  class  is  of  medium  length,  well 
crested  and  very  well  carried.  The  body  is  short,  deep 
and  muscular.  Broncos  are  frequently  ridden  day 
after  day  for  weeks  at  a  time,  without  shoes,  over  the 
rough,  rocky  soil,  carrying  a  heavy  man  and  a  cumbersome 
stock  saddle  (Plate  V).  They  weigh  approximately 
850  pounds,  and  are  possessed  of  enormous  strength  for 
their  size  and  weight."  (W.  L.  Carlyle.) 

These  ponies  of  the  Southwest,  as  a  rule,  do  not  exceed 
thirteen  and  one-half  or  fourteen  hands  in  height  unless 
cross-bred.  Some  of  them  are  handsome,  graceful  crea- 
tures, but  they  do  not  compare  favorably  with  the  best 
American  horses,  or  with  imported  European  ponies,  nor 
are  they  as  good  as  the  more  northern  Indian  pony. 
They  stand  a  great  deal  of  hard  work,  however,  and  if 
broken  young,  can  be  made  very  serviceable.  It  is 
to  be  regretted  that  this  race  of  exceedingly  useful  and 
picturesque  animals  is  decreasing,  as  a  result  of  the  demand 
for  a  larger  and  more  fleet  horse  by  the  cowmen  which 


THE  PONY  BREEDS  OF  HORSES       165 

is  met  by  crossing  with  Standardbred  and  Thoroughbred 
sires.  The  Bronco  in  the  wild  state  can  be  ridden  down 
and  captured  without  much  difficulty  by  good,  domestic 
horses,  even  when  carrying  the  weight  of  a  rider,  if 
it  can  be  approached  sufficiently  close  to  allow  any- 
thing like  equality  in  the  start. 

192.  The  Indian  pony.  —  The  pony  of   the  northern 
states   and   northwest   Canada  is   a  better   animal  than 
that  of  the  southern  states,  although  often  they  are  inter- 
bred.    The  northern  pony  rarely  exceeds  thirteen  hands, 
almost  never  fourteen,   unless  he  is  cross-bred,   and  is 
more  compact,  better  ribbed  up  and  a  better  boned  pony 
than  the  Bronco.     He  is  short  in  barrel  and  strong  in 
limb,  has  very  good  feet,  heavy  mane    and   tail,  and 
often  considerable  hair  on  his  legs,  all  of  which  would 
seem  to  indicate  his  Norman  origin.     These  ponies  are 
very  hardy,  and,  while  not  fast,  will  cover  long  distances 
with  ease.    They  are,  moreover,  more  intelligent,  have 
better  dispositions  and  display  more  courage  than  the 
Bronco. 

193.  Use  of    Broncos  and    Indian  ponies.  —  In  the 
West  these  ponies  are  used  for  saddle  purposes,   espe- 
cially for  cow-herding,  although  they  are  fast  being  re- 
placed by  better  horses.     Ponies  of  both  types  are  brought 
East  and  used  in  cities  in  delivery  wagons  and  for  light 
driving  purposes,  or  as  saddle  ponies.    The  best  of  them 
are  sometimes  used  as  polo  mounts.    They  are  not  bred, 
as  a  rule,  except  in  the  western  states  on  large  ranches, 
it  being  more  profitable  to  raise  other  breeds  of  horses 
or  ponies  in  the   eastern   states,  where  the  cost  of  feed 
is   high.     These   ponies   are   used   as  foundation   stock 
from  which  to  breed  a  more  improved  type  of  pony  or 
horse,  the  mares  being  bred  to  Hackneys,  trotting,  car- 


166  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

riage,  Thoroughbred  and  Arabian  stallions,  often  with 
a  view  to  getting  polo  mounts.  It  is  difficult,  however, 
to  get  any  pony  or  horse  of  much  value  from  one  cross. 

194.  Other  American  ponies.  —  Aside  from  the  Mus- 
tangs of  the  western  states,  there  are  in  North  America 
the  Sable  Island  ponies,  the  ponies  found  on  the  coasts 
of  the  South  Atlantic  states,  and  the  Creole  ponies  of 
Louisiana. 

The  Sable  Island  ponies  rarely  find  their  way  into  the 
United  States,  principally  because  of  the  duty.  They 
are  few  in  number  and  run  wild,  and  are  not  so  good  as 
some  other  breeds  from  which  selection  can  be  had  on  the 
British  islands.  The  Sable  is  a  small  pony  much  like  the 
Celtic. 

Ponies  of  the  South  Atlantic  states.  —  The  ponies  found 
along  the  coast  of  the  South  Atlantic  states  have  been 
known  to  exist  there  for  many  years.  They  are  appar- 
ently of  Spanish  origin,  although  somewhat  smaller  than 
the  ponies  of  the  western  states.  Little  effort  has  been 
made  to  improve  them  and  they  are  not  superior  in  any 
way  to  the  Mustangs.  They  are  most  numerous  on  the 
island  of  Chincoteague  and  commonly  bear  that  name. 

The  ponies  of  Louisiana,  sometimes  known  as  the 
Creole  ponies,  also  appear  to  be  of  Spanish  origin.  They 
are  somewhat  smaller  and  finer  in  bone  than  the  ponies 
of  the  western  states,  but  are  little  different  in  other 
respects. 

PONIES  OF  THE  BRITISH  ISLES.     Figs.  24-29. 

195.  Ponies  have  been  known  to  exist  in  the  British 
islands  from  the  earliest  times.  They  were  there  at  the 
time  of  Julius  Caesar's  conquest  and  he  spoke  highly  of 


THE  PONY  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  167 

them.  The  ponies  of  the  west  of  England  are  said  to 
have  been  brought  there  by  the  Phoenicians  when  they 
came  to  trade  for  tin.  The  ponies  of  the  northern  part 
of  the  British  Isles,  including  the  Shetlands,  have  many 
characteristics  in  common  with  the  Scandinavian  pony, 
and  were  probably  introduced  by  the  Scandinavian  in- 
vaders some  time  prior  to  the  fifteenth  century. 

The  principal  ponies  of  the  British  Isles  are  the  Hackney, 
Welsh,  Exmoor  and  Dartmoor,  Westmorland  (Fig.  27), 
New  Forest,  the  Scotch  ponies,  the  Connemara  or  pony 
of  Ireland  and  the  Shetland  pony.  The  last  is  discussed 
first  because  of  its  relative  importance  in  America. 

196.  The  Shetland  pony.  —  The  Shetland,  the  smallest 
of  all  ponies,  is  in  many  ways  the  most  important 
in  America.  While  in  England  and  other  countries  he 
has  been  used  extensively  in  the  coal  mines,  in  America 
his  use  is  practically  restricted  to  that  of  children,  and 
as  a  child's  pony  he  has  no  equal.  Children  and  Shet- 
land ponies  seem  to  have  for  each  other  a  natural  affinity. 
Every  child  desires  a  pony,  and  as  a  considerable  propor- 
tion of  Americans  have  the  means  to  gratify  their  chil- 
dren in  such  a  desire,  the  Shetland  pony  is  in  great  demand. 
It  is  imported  in  considerable  numbers,  and  many  are 
bred  here.  There  are  also  many  in  America  that  are 
cross-bred. 

The  Shetland  islands  are  situated  to  the  north  of  Scot- 
land, from  which  they  are  separated  by  about  150  to  200 
miles  of  very  rough  and  dangerous  sea.  There  are  some 
120  islands,  many  of  which  are  uninhabited,  merely 
affording  pasturage  for  a  few  sheep  or  ponies.  The  exist- 
ence of  two  or  three  distinct  types  of  ponies  on  private 
estates  has  given  rise  to  the  untrue  statement  that  a  more 
or  less  distinct  type  of  the  Shetland  exists  on  each  of 


168  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

several  of  the  Islands.  There  are  no  trees  nor  shrubs 
on  the  Islands,  the  surface  being  a  succession  of  hills  of 
rock  formation  with  peat  and  decayed  vegetable  matter 
in  the  basins  and  a  light  covering  of  soil  on  which  heather 
and  scanty  grass  grow,  affording  the  only  pasturage  for 
the  ponies. 

Although  far  to  the  north,  the  climate  is  greatly  moder- 
ated by  the  surrounding  waters  of  the  Gulf  Stream.  There 
is  consequently  much  mist  and  precipitation  of  moisture, 
that  accounts  largely  for  the  Shetland's  very  long,  fine 
hair,  which  in  wet  weather  mats  and  is  almost  waterproof. 
This  heavy  coat  is  the  Shetland's  only  protection  against 
the  inclement  weather,  as  it  is  not  housed,  but  is  born, 
lives  and  dies  in  the  fields,  the  hillsides  and  stone  walls 
being  the  only  shelter  from  the  winds  that  are  constantly 
blowing,  and  which  in  winter  are  very  penetrating. 

197.  History  of  the  Shetland  pony.  —  Ponies  have 
been  known  in  the  Shetland  islands  from  the  earliest 
times  of  which  there  is  record.  From  the  finding  of  the 
Bressay  stone  recently,  there  appears  to  be  good  evidence 
that  they  were  there  prior  to  the  Norwegian  invasion  in 
872.  According  to  some  early  writers,  the  Scandinavian 
invaders  introduced  the  foundation  stock  prior  to  the 
fifteenth  century. 

The  government  returns  for  1891  gave  the  number  of 
horses,  which  included  ponies,  in  the  Islands  as  4803, 
but  because  of  the  demand  of  recent  years  the  ponies  are 
steadily  decreasing.  While  on  a  tour  of  the  Islands  in 
1906,  the  writer  made  a  careful  estimate  of  the  number 
of  ponies,  and  could  not  account  for  over  4000  of  all 
ages  and  sexes,  and  he  doubts  whether  there  are  much 
over  400  foals  produced  on  the  Islands  annually.  In 
America  there  have  been  registered  in  the  stud-book 


THE  PONT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES 


169 


about  16,000  of  these  ponies,  and  as  the  stud-book  has  been 
open  for  about  thirty-four  years,  this  number  includes 
those  that  have  died  in  that  time.  The  Shetland  pony 
may  be  considered  to  be  comparatively  rare. 

198.  Description  of  the  Shetland  pony.  —  The  limit 
of  height  established  by  the  Shetland  Pony  Stud-book 
Society  is  ten  hands  two  inches.  Ponies  over  this  height 
cannot  be  registered, 
although  in  America 
the  Shetland  Pony 
Club  has  increased 
the  height  to  eleven 
hands  two  inches. 
The  average  height 
of  the  pure  Shetland 
may  be  said  to  be  nine 
to  ten  hands.  The 
size  is  more  or  less  a 
result  of  the  feed,  and 
when  food  is  supplied 

in  abundance  there  is  a  gradual  increase  in  size  in  succes- 
sive generations.  This  increase  is  less  apparent  in  highly 
bred  ponies.  The  weight  of  mature  Shetlands  should  ap- 
proximate 325  to  375  pounds,  for  ponies  of  average  height. 
The  best  specimens  are  compact  in  build,  having  deep 
body,  heavy  muscular  quarters,  short  legs,  short,  broad 
back,  deep,  full  chest,  good  bone,  short,  muscular  neck, 
small  head  and  ears,  prominent  eyes  and  a  very  docile 
disposition.  In  color,  they  are  commonly  brown, 
black  and  bay.  There  are  other  colors,  such  as  dun, 
chestnut,  gray  and  a  few  with  white  markings.  Pie- 
balds are  not  considered  desirable,  although  there  is  a 
demand  for  broken  colors  in  America  (Fig.  24). 


FIG.  24.  —  Shetland  stallion. 


170  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

The  coat  of  the  Shetland  pony  is  a  revelation  to  those 
who  are  not  familiar  with  him.  The  young  ponies  under 
two  years  of  age,  in  particular,  have  very  long,  shaggy 
coats.  Towards  spring  the  hair  loses  its  luster  and  has  a 
very  rusty,  shabby  appearance.  Owing  to  the  hair  being 
very  fine  and  matted,  it  is  shed  in  patches,  often  hanging 
in  taglocks,  which  makes  the  pony  the  very  roughest  and 
shaggiest  little  creature  imaginable.  Once  he  has  shed, 
his  coat  is  fine  and  glossy  and  he  is  much  more  active 
in  his  movements.  The  mane  is  generally  heavy  and 
long,  and  adds  much  to  the  attractiveness  of  a  well-kept 
pony. 

The  Shetland  pony  combines  with  the  highest  order  of 
equine  intelligence  a  disposition  wonderfully  free  from 
vice  and  trickiness. 

199.  Uses  of  Shetland  ponies. —  In  the  Shetland 
islands,  the  ponies  are  used  little.  They  are  sometimes 
employed  in  carrying  peat  from  the  hills  to  the  crofts, 
and  are  the  most  wonderful  weight-carriers  in  the  world, 
a  nine-hand  pony  being  able  to  carry  a  full-grown  man 
over  rough  ground  for  some  distance.  They  are  wonder- 
fully hardy  and  will  cover  surprising  distances.  In  the 
coal  mines  many  of  the  ponies  travel  upwards  of  thirty 
miles  a  day,  drawing  a  load  of  1200  to  1400  pounds  (on 
rails).  In  America,  as  has  been  said,  the  chief  use  of 
the  Shetland  is  as  a  child's  pony  and  for  light  driving. 
Shetland  ponies  are  very  salable,  the  demand  being  usually 
in  excess  of  the  supply.  The  smaller  sizes  are  most  popu- 
lar in  England,  but  not  in  America.  They  bring  good 
prices,  about  as  much  at  maturity  as  the  average  large 
horse,  and  are  easy  and  inexpensive  to  raise.  They  break 
easily  and  are  a  constant  source  of  usefulness  and  pleas- 
ure, as  well  as  an  ornament  to  any  farm. 


THE  PONT  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  171 

200.  Feeding  and  care  of  Shetland  ponies.  —  In  the 
winter  time,  it  is  usual  to  feed  the  ponies.     In  May,  they 
are  turned  on  common  pasture  lands  to  shift  for  themselves. 
In  the  autumn,  the  ponies  come  down  from  the  hills  and 
feed  on  the  patches  of  fresh  grass  which  have  been  pre- 
served around  the  cultivated  areas.     In  severe  winters, 
when  feed  is  scarce,  they  eat  the  seaweed.     Contrary  to 
the  popular  impression  prevailing  in  America,  the  ponies 
do  not  run  wild.     They  are  all  definitely  owned  and  cared 
for  more  or  less.     There  are  few  large  herds.     Most  of  the 
ponies  are  held  by  the  crofters  or  farmers  in  small  numbers. 

201.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  American  Shet- 
land Pony  Club  was  organized  in  1888.     The  office  of 
its   secretary   is   at   Lafayette,   Indiana.     Thirteen    vol- 
umes of  the  American  Shetland  Pony  Stud-book  have 
been   issued,  registering  over  sixteen    thousand    ponies. 
The  Shetland  Pony  Stud-book  Society,  with  the  secretary 
at  Aberdeen,  Scotland,  is  the  official  organization  of  the 
breed  in  Scotland  and  Shetland. 

202.  The  Welsh  pony.  —  The  Welsh  pony  is  more  nu- 
merous than  any  other  breed  that  comes  from  the  British 
Isles.     It  is  difficult  to  discover  the  exact  number,  as 
there   appear  to  be  no   statistics  on  the   subject.     He 
wanders  over  the  hills  and  waste-lands  of  all  the  twelve 
counties  of  Wales  and  also  on  the  borders  of  Shropshire, 
Hereford    and    Monmouth.     Inured    from    the    earliest 
foalhood  to  the  roughest  and  poorest  pasturage,  he  is  as 
sure-footed  as  the  goat,  has  good  shoulders,  strong  back, 
neat  head  and  the  best  of  legs  and  feet.     Many  of  the 
best  hunters  in  England  trace  their  origin  on  the  side  of 
the  dam  to  a  Welsh  mare.     The  breed  has  been  improved 
from  time  to  time  by  the  introduction  of  superior  alien 
blood,  chiefly  Thoroughbred,  Arabian  and  Hackney. 


172 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


1 


The  Polo  Pony  Society  makes  two  divisions  of  Welsh 
ponies,  those  of  North  Wales  and  those  of  South  Wales. 
By  the  description  given  in  Vol.  5  of  the  stud-book  of  this 
society,  the  ponies  of  North  Wales  do  not  exceed  twelve 
hands  two  inches.  This  refers  undoubtedly  to  the  Welsh 
pony  in  a  pure  state,  as  the  writer  has  seen  many  Welsh 
cobs  bred  in  Wales  from  Welsh  mares  and  Hackney 
stallions  that  were  fourteen  hands  and  over  in  height. 

The  pony  of  North 
Wales  has  straight 
legs,  well-set-on  tail 
and  good  shoulders. 

The  pony  of  the 
South  Wales  division 
seldom  exceeds  thir- 
teen hands,  and  in  a 
pure  state  is  about 
twelve  hands.  The 
writer  has  seen  many 
of  them  not  over 
eleven  hands.  They 
are  likely  to  be  low  at 
the  withers,  and  have 

faulty  hind-quarters,  the  rump  being  steep  and  the  hocks 
sickled,  although  these  defects  are  being  overcome  by 
improved  keep  of  the  young  ponies  and  better  breeding. 
The  color  of  the  Welsh  pony  most  preferred  is  bay  or 
brown.  Gray  or  black  is  allowable,  but  dun  or  broken 
color  is  considered  objectionable. 

The  strength  and  endurance  of  these  Welsh  ponies  is 
remarkable.  They  have  legs  that  work  cannot  seem  to 
destroy,  and  have  wonderful  carrying  power.  It  is  not 
uncommon  in  Wales  to  see  a  man  weighing  upward  of 


FIG.  25.  —  Welsh  stallion 


THE  PONY  BREEDS   OF  HORSES  173 

200  pounds  riding  one  of  these  little  ponies.  As  a  rule, 
they  have  good  carriage  and  action,  and  make  desirable 
ponies  for  children  who  have  had  some  experience  in  horse- 
manship (Figs.  25,  26).  In  England,  they  are  used  largely 
as  a  hack  and  by  tradesmen.  There  are  breeders  using 
this  pony  as  a  basis 
from  which  to  breed 
polo  mounts,  crossing 
with  small  Thorough- 
bred or  Arab  stallions. 
In  America,  Welsh 
ponies  are  used  princi- 
pally for  children's 
purposes.  Many  are 
imported  and  a  num- 
ber are  bred  here.  Now 

.          .  .    .  FIG.  26.  —  Welsh  pony  mare. 

that  the  pony  is  becom- 
ing more  popular,  and  the  demand  is  increasing,  the  breed- 
ing of  the  Welsh  pony  should  prove  very  profitable. 

The  organization  interested  in  the  improvement  of 
these  ponies  is  the  Welsh  Pony  and  Cob  Society,  with 
headquarters  at  Greenfield,  Penybont,  Radnorshire, 
Wales.  The  American  Welsh  Pony  and  Cob  Society, 
with  headquarters  at  Lafayette,  Indiana,  has  published 
one  volume  of  its  stud-book  embracing  nearly  eight 
hundred  entries. 

203.  Exmoor  and  Dartmoor  ponies.  —  The  ponies 
from  those  districts  in  England  known  as  Exmoor  and 
Dartmoor  are  much  fewer  in  number  than  most  of  the 
other  breeds  in  the  British  Isles,  and  are  rarely  imported 
into  this  country.  They  range  in  height  from  eleven  to 
thirteen  hands  two  inches.  The  original  color  of  the 
Exmoor  was  a  buffish  bay  with  mealy  nose.  It  is  supposed 


174  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

to  have  been  brought  to  England  by  the  Phoenicians 
when  they  visited  the  shores  of  Cornwall  to  trade  in  tins 
and  metals. 

Stud-book  No.  5,  of  the  Polo  Pony  Society,  contains  a 
description  of  the  Exmoor  pony.  The  average  height  is 
given  as  twelve  hands.  The  best  of  the  Exmoor  ponies 
have  strong  backs  and  loins  and  good  substance.  They 
are  generally  bay  or  brown,  with  black  points,  wide  fore- 
heads and  nostrils,  mealy  noses,  sharp  ears,  good  shoulders 
and  back,  short  legs  and  good  bone.  They  are  very 
tough  and  hardy,  and  have  been  known  to  cover  long 
distances.  Youatt  states  that  in  the  year  1860,  a  farmer 
who  weighed  196  pounds  rode  an  Exmoor  pony  from  Bris- 
tol to  South  Moulton,  a  distance  of  86  miles,  beating  a 
coach  that  traveled  the  same  road. 

The  official  description  of  the  Dartmoor  ponies  and 
those  of  North  Wales  is  identical,  with  certain  amend- 
ments in  addition.  Those  ponies  that  are  over  fifteen 
hands  would  seem  to  be  cross-bred,  as  the  pure  Dartmoor 
never  exceeds  thirteen  hands.  In  color,  the  Dartmoor 
ponies  are  brown,  black  or  bay.  There  are  some  grays. 
Other  colors  are  considered  objectionable.  Efforts  are 
now  being  made  to  improve  them  by  the  introduction  of 
good  stallions  of  the  best  pony  breeds. 

204.  The  New  Forest  pony.  —  Ponies  have  been  bred 
in  a  semi-wild  state  from  the  earliest  times  in  the  county 
of  Hampshire  in  England,  a  district  covering  some  92,395 
acres,  of  which  44,978  are  still  uninclosed  waste  land. 
The  greater  part  of  this  common  land  is  poor  and  boggy 
moor.  It  is  estimated  that  there  are  about  2500  of  these 
ponies.  Like  most  of  the  other  ponies  in  the  British  Isles, 
they  have  been  much  improved  in  recent  years.  Lord 
Arthur  Cecil  owns  a  large  number,  and  he  turns  out  with 


THE  PONY  BREEDS  OF  HORSES  175 

his  mares  thirty  to  forty  good  stallions  every  season. 
Many  of  his  stallions  are  from  the  island  of  Rum,  off  the 
western  coast  of  Scotland,  and  are  the  original  black  Gal- 
loway, found  in  a  wild  state  on  the  island  in  1840,  by  his 
father,  the  late  Marquis  of  Salisbury,  and  have  been  kept 
almost  pure.  In  1888,  Lord  Arthur  secured  the  whole 
stock  of  these  Rum  ponies.  They  are  inclined  to  be  a 
little  coarse  in  the  head,  but  this  defect  is  disappearing 


FIG.  27.  —  English  Westmorland  Fel  pony  stallion. 

with  breeding  and  good  keep.  Most  of  the  Rum  ponies 
are  black,  although  some  are  bay  or  brown;  many  of 
them  have  the  hazel  eye,  although  this  is  not  unknown 
in  the  Exmoor  and  Welsh  ponies  also. 

The  New  Forest  pony,  because  of  not  having  had  to 
endure  the  severe  climate  of  the  hills,  is  likely  to  be  less 
hardy  than  the  hill  ponies.  The  height,  as  given  by  the 
Polo  Pony  Society,  is  twelve  to  thirteen  hands.  The 
writer  has  seen  some  of  these  ponies  in  England,  and  they 
are  not  equal  to  many  of  the  other  breeds,  but  Lord  Arthur 
Cecil  is  very  enthusiastic  about  them,  and  is  doing  much 


176  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

to  improve  them.  They  are  likely  to  be  low  at  the  withers 
and  not  good  in  the  hind-quarters,  being  droopy  and  cow- 
hocked.  The  cross  of  the  vigorous  Rum  pony,  however, 
will  do  much  to  correct  this,  as  he  is  very  strong  in  these 
points,  having  excellent  hind-quarters  and  good  shoulders. 
Aside  from  the  Rum  ponies,  Thoroughbred  and  Arabian 
stallions  are  also  being  used,  with  marked  improvement. 
The  New  Forest  ponies  are  generally  more  spirited  than 
most  of  the  other  British  ponies.  Like  all  ponies  that 
have  been  brought  up  on  poor  pasturage,  they  improve 
wonderfully  on  good  keep,  and,  with  careful  selection  in 
breeding,  astonishingly  good  results  may  be  obtained. 

The  organization  concerned  with  the  interests  of  this 
breed  is  known  as  the  New  Forest  Pony  Association. 
There  is  no  organization  in  America  for  this  breed. 

205.  The  Hackney  pony  (Figs.  28,  29).— The  Hack- 
ney horse  has  long  been  bred  in  England  and  owes 

his  present  status  to  the 
most  careful  methods 
of  breeding,  rearing  and 
training.  Contrary  to 
the  impression  given 
by  his  name,  he  is  not 
a  hack,  but  is,  on  his 
native  heath,  the  high- 
est type  of  driving 
horse.  In  1883,  when 
the  Hackney  Horse 

Fio7~28.-  Hackney  pony  stallion.          Society  was   formed   in 

England,  the  standard 
of  height  for  the  pony  was  established  as  fourteen  hands, 
and  a  separate  part  of  the  stud-book  was  set  aside  for  the 
registration  of  ponies.  Subsequently,  this  height  was  in- 


THE  PONY  BREEDS  OF  HORSES 


177 


Inasmuch 


creased  to  fourteen  hands  one  inch,  and  about  nine  years 

ago   the   same  height   was    adopted    by   the    American 

Hackney  Horse  Society,  established  in  1891. 

as  the  Hackney  brings 

a  higher  price,  both  in 

England  and   America, 

than   any   other   pony, 

he  may   be   considered 

the  most  valuable  of  all 

ponies.      In  America,  as 

in     England,      judging 

from  the  demand   and 

prices  paid,  he  appears 

to  be  steadily  growing 

in  popularity. 

[The   Hackney   pony         *»•  »•  ~ Hackney  pony  mare' 
is  the  small-sized  Hackney  horse.     For  fuller  notes,  see 
Hackney  Horse,  pp.  44-57.] 

206.  The  ponies  of  Scotland.  —  Because  of  the  prox- 
imity of  the  Shetland  islands  to  Scotland,  there  are  many 
Shetlands  there,  as  in  fact  there  are  in  England,  and  many 
of  the  ponies  of  Scotland  are  but  a  cross  between  the 
Shetland  and  a  Welsh  or  some  other  pony.  Many  of  the 
larger  ponies  of  Scotland  resemble  much  the  Welsh  cob. 
In  times  past  a  pony  was  often  referred  to  as  a  Galloway. 
In  fact,  to  this  day  the  name  is  often  seen. 

The  Galloway,  so-called  from  the  part  of  Scotland 
known  by  that  name,  was  once  very  popular.  Youatt, 
in  his  second  edition,  1846,  describes  it  as  thirteen  to 
fourteen  hands,  sometimes  more,  bright  bay  or  brown  with 
black  legs  and  small  head.  As  the  size  was  not  considered 
desirable,  it  was  crossed  with  larger  breeds,  until  now  the 
original  Galloway  has  entirely  disappeared. 


178  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

207.  The  Connemara,  or  pony  of  Ireland.  —  The  Con- 
nemara,  or  pony  of  Ireland,  is  found  chiefly  in  the  County 
Galway,  Ireland.     It  is  an  extremely  wiry  pony,  showing 
a  great  deal  of  the  Barb  or  Arab  blood.     It  stands  twelve 
to    fourteen   hands    in   height,    sometimes   more.     Like 
other  breeds  that  run  practically  wild  in  a  hilly  country, 
it  is  hardy,  active  and  sure-footed.     It  has  a  thick  and 
shaggy  coat  in  response  to  the  climatic  condition  of  its 
habitat.     In  color,  it  is  black,  brown  or  bay  and  sometimes 
chestnut,  betraying  its  descent.     Often  individuals  are 
pacers.     Since  the  middle  of  the  last  century  it  has  been 
allowed  to  deteriorate,  but  for  some  years  past  systematic 
endeavors  to  improve  the  breed  by  introduction  of  Thor- 
oughbred   and    Hackney   pony   stallions   have   been   in 
progress. 

OTHER  PONIES 

208.  The  Celtic,  or  pony  of  Iceland.  —  The  Celtic,  or 
pony  of  Iceland,  the  Hebrides,  north  of  Ireland,  and  the 
Faroes,   is  a  small-headed   pony  with  prominent  eyes, 
slender  limbs  and  small  joints.     A  typical  Celtic  pony  is 
generally  of  yellowish  dun  color,  with  a  dark  dorsal  band 
and  with  some  indication  of  stripes  on  the  shoulders  and 
in  the  region  of  the  knees  and  hocks.    These  ponies  have 
a  close  resemblance  to  the  Scandinavian  pony,  and  it  is 
probable  that  they  have  a  common  origin.     The  Shet- 
land, Welsh,  New  Forest  and  other  ponies  of  the  British 
Isles  probably  have  a  certain  amount  of  Celtic  blood,  as 
ponies  are  frequently  found  of  the  former  breeds  with 
strong  characteristics  of  the  Celtic  pony. 

The  ponies  of  the  Hebrides,  the  Faroes  and  the  north 
of  Ireland  are  little  known  in  this  country,  but  the  Ice- 
land ponies  are  sometimes  imported  into  America,  although 


THE  PONT  BREEDS   OF  HORSES  179 

few  are  bred  here.  They  are  strong,  sturdy,  useful  little 
animals,  rarely  exceeding  thirteen  hands,  often  reaching 
only  eleven  and  one-half  or  twelve  hands.  They  are  used 
for  light  driving  purposes  and  as  children's  ponies,  and  in 
England  often  as  pit  ponies. 

209.  The  Arabian  pony.  —  The  Arab  pony  is  the  Arab 
horse  under  the  given  height.     For  full  discussion,  see 
Arab  Horse,  pp.  134-144. 

210.  The  Russian  pony.  —  Russian  ponies  are  trace- 
able to  eastern  origin.     They  are  hardy,  serviceable  and 
often  of  beautiful  appearance.    They  rarely  exceed  four- 
teen hands  in  height,  many  being  but  twelve  to  thirteen 
hands.    They  are  not  common  in  America,  but  they  are 
often  seen  in  England,  where  they  are  used  for  light 
driving  purposes  or  in  the  pits.     In  Russia,  they  are  used 
for  trade  purposes  and  many  of  the  cavalry  mounts  are 
but  ponies.     They  have  great  endurance,  and  the  best  of 
them  are  not  surpassed  in  usefulness  by  any  other  breed. 

211.  The    Scandinavian    or    Norwegian   pony.  —  The 
Scandinavian  pony  is  closely  allied  to  the  Russian,  and  is 
evidently  of  the  same  origin.     Not  only  have  these  ponies 
worked  up  through  Russia  to  Norway  and  Sweden,  but 
in  the  old  days  of  the1  Vikings  there  is  little  doubt  that 
many  fine   specimens   of  the  Arabian  were   introduced 
into  the  country.     Like  the  Russian,  the  Norwegian  pony 
is  practically  unknown  in  America,  but  many  of  them 
are  imported  into  England,  where  they  are  used  generally 
for  light  driving  purposes  or  in  the  pits,  some  being  used 
as  polo  mounts. 

212.  Miscellaneous  ponies.  —  The  Mongolian,   Japa- 
nese, Korean,  Burma  and  Manipura,  Sumatra  and  Java 
ponies  can  be  of  little  interest  to  American  breeders.     In 
common  with  all  ponies  they  have  to  a  greater  or  lesser 


180  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

extent  the  hardiness,  endurance,  sound  feet  and  legs  that 
are  the  inheritance  of  a  half-wild  existence  under  adverse 
conditions.  These  ponies  are  exceedingly  rare  in  Amer- 
ica, and  we  have  many  types  much  superior  in  confor- 
mation and  other  desirable  qualities  nearer  home  from 
which  to  breed. 

Literature.  —  References  cited  in  the  text  are  to  the  following 
works:  E.  D.  Miller,  Modern  Polo,  W.  Thacker  &  Co.,  London; 
Hon.  James  Penn  Boucaut,  The  Arab,  the  Horse  of  the  Future, 
Gay  &  Bird,  Strand,  London  (1905) ;  Polo  Pony  Society,  Stud-book, 
Volume  5 ;  Youatt,  second  edition  (1846) ;  Sir  Walter  Gilbey,  Small 
Horses  in  Warfare,  Bart,  Vinton  &  Co.,  London,  E.  C. ;  Sir  Walter 
Gilbey,  Thoroughbred  and  Other  Ponies,  Bart,  Vinton  &  Co., 
London,  E.  C.;  J.  C.  Appleby,  Nimrod;  Mr.  Whyte,  History  of 
the  British  Turf.  Other  references  are  here  given,  that  are  of 
interest :  Catherine  Sinclair,  Shetland  and  Its  Inhabitants ;  L. 
Stejneger,  'Den  Celtiske  pony,  tarpanen  of  fjordhesten,'  Naturen 
(1904).  M.  Horace  Hayes,  Points  of  the  Horse,  W.  Thacker  & 
Co.,  London,  E.  C.  (1897);  J.  C.  Ewart,  The  Multiple  Origin  of 
Horses,  Trans.  Highland  and  Agricultural  Society,  Edinburgh 
(1904) ;  W.  Ridgeway,  The  Origin  and  Influence  of  the  Thorough- 
bred Horse,  Cambridge  (1905) ;  S.  B.  Elliot,  M.D.,  The  Shetland 
Pony,  Belle  Meade,  Va.  (1906). 


CHAPTER   VI 


MULES   AND   JACKS 

By  Charles  Wm.  Burkett 

THE  MULE  is  a  hybrid,  a  cross  between  the  horse 
and  the  ass.  An  offspring  of  the  male  ass  or  jack  and  the 
mare  is  known  as  a  mule, 
while  the  progeny  of  a  stal- 
lion and  a  female  ass  is 
designated  as  a  hinny. 

213.  History.— The  mule 
has  been  known  from  the 
earliest  times,  some  of  the 
old  Roman  writers  having 
discussed  it  in  their  descrip- 
tions of  Roman  agriculture. 

In  America,  the  mule  has 
been  in  use  from  colonial 
days.  As  early  as  1591, 
jacks  were  brought  to  this 
country  by  the  Spaniards. 
The  first  of  the  kind,  no 
doubt,  went  to  Mexico. 
One  of  the  first  men  to  en- 
gage in  the  production  of 
mules  was  General  Washington.  The  superior  qualities 
of  the  mule  were  early  recognized  by  southern  planters. 

214.  Description.  —  The  mule  is  more  valuable  than 
the   hinny,  since  it  has   greater  size,  more  style,  finish 

181 


'v 


FIG.  30. — Pair  of  sugar  mules. 


182  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

and  stronger  bone,  requisites  that  go  to  make  the  animal 
valuable  for  draft  purposes  (Fig.  30).  From  this  de- 
scription it  follows  that  the  hinny  is  smaller  in  size,  some- 
what unsightly  in  form,  lacking  in  finish  and  adapted  to 
environments  that  call  for  lighter  work  and  effort.  Still, 
the  hinny  is  able  to  endure  drudgery  and  hardship  equal 
to  and  often  greater  than  the  mule  can  stand. 

215.  Form. — The  mule  that  most  nearly  approaches  the 
ideal  type  follows  the  horse  closely  in  all  points  of  fprm. 
The  body,  however,  is  commonly  more  cylindrical  and  some- 
what smaller  than  the  body  of  the  horse,  a  factor  not  alto- 
gether in  favor  of  the  mule.     A  large  body,  therefore,  is 
more  desirable  than  a  small  body ;  but  largeness  of  body 
must  not  be  confused  with  paunchiness,  for  this  is  always 
objectionable.     Producers  of  mules  are  realizing  that  a 
critical  trade  is  demanding  animals  of  a  superior  conforma- 
tion in  the  region  of  the  body,  much  more  so  than  this 
same  trade  demanded  a  few  years  ago. 

Mules  of  ideal  conformation  possess  straight  hard 
legs,  showing  superiority  with  every  movement.  The 
bone  should  be  smooth  and  dense,  but  ample;  the 
tendons  prominent;  and  the  muscles  well  developed. 
While  the  feet  of  the  mule  are  narrower  and  longer  than 
those  of  the  horse,  a  large  foot  is  always  to  be  desired. 

216.  Market  class  of  mules.  —  Mules  are  generally 
grouped  into  four  general  classes  on  the  larger  markets. 

(1)  Sugar  and .  cotton  mules.  —  While  these  are  raised 
in  the  West,  a  great  majority  of  them  find  their  way 
into  the  southern  states,  where  they  are  used  on  cotton- 
farms  or  sugar-farms.  It  is  a  good  class  of  mules  that 
goes  into  this  section.  They  are  large,  heavy  and  of 
splendid  type.  On  the  Kansas  City  market  the  cotton 
and  sugar  mules  stand  fifteen  to  sixteen  hands,  while  the 


MULES  AND  JACKS  183 

Chicago  market  calls  for  a  somewhat  higher  animal. 
The  cotton  or  sugar  mule  that  stands  sixteen  hands  should 
weigh  1050  to  1350  pounds.  The  class  of  mules  that 
is  used  on  the  sugar  plantations  is  of  the  best  quality, 
owing  to  the  fact  that  the  sugar  plantations  are  worked  by 
wealthy  syndicates  that  could  not  afford  to  use  poor  mules. 
They  show  a  very  smooth  finish,  a  marked  refinement 
about  the  head  and  neck  and  a  fine  quality  of  bone.  In 
fact,  no  class  is  superior  to  the  sugar  mule  in  smoothness 
and  finish.  The  sugar  class  of  mules  shows  also  greater 
uniformity  in  quality,  height  and  weight  than  do  those 
used  for  any  other  purpose.  Cotton 
mules,  as  a  rule,  are  poorly  graded, 
and  lack  the  uniformity  observed  in 
the  sugar  class.  Both  cotton  and  sugar 
mules  begin  service,  usually,  at  three  or 
four  years  of  age,  although  some  at  five 
years ;  but  they  are  at  their  best  when 
six  to  nine  or  ten  years  of  age. 

(2)  Lumber  mules.  —  For  the  neces- 
sities of  the  woods,  where  mules  are 
used  in  great  numbers  for  purposes  of 
lumbering,  a  very  heavy,  strong  and 
rugged  animal  is  needed;  hence,  we 
find  the  lumber  mules  extremely  tall 
and  large,  usually  fifteen  to  seventeen 
or  more  hands  in  height.  Quality  is 
not  of  so  much  importance  as  the  FIG.  31.  —  A  good  rep- 
ability  to  do  hard  and  rough  work, 
and  much  of  it;  therefore,  weight 
is  especially  essential.  There  is  great  variation  in 
this  class  of  mules,  everything  being  sacrificed  except- 
ing capacity  to  do  hard  work,  ruggedness  to  endure 


184  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

hardships  and  fatigue,  and  size  and  height   to   supply 
power. 

(3)  The  general-purpose  mule.  —  This  animal  is  seen 
wherever  railroad  construction  is  in  progress ;   he  is  often 
observed  on  the  farm ;  he  is  found  on  the  roads  wherever 
heavy  hauling  is  being   done,  in   the  cities,  towns  and 
along  rivers.     One  of  the  requirements  of  this  class  is  that 
it  be  rugged,  strong  and  capable  of  doing  hard  work.     This 
mule  competes  with  the  ordinary  draft  horse,  and  compared 
with  the  average  draft  horse  is  superior  for  many  kinds  of 
work.     In  height  this  class  ranges  from  fifteen  to  sixteen 
and  one-half  hands.     The  weight  varies  from  1000  to  1400 
pounds.     The  Chicago  market  grades  the  general-purpose 
mule  a  little  heavier  and  a  little  higher  than  either  the 
Kansas  City,  the  St.  Louis  or  the  St.  Paul  markets. 

(4)  The  mine  mule.  —  Mine  mules  are  generally  classed 
as  either  pitters  or  surface  mules.     They  grade  into  the 
smallest  of  these  four  groups,  standing  ten  and  one-half 
to  fifteen  hands  high,  are  chunky  and  hardy,  and  possess 
a  heavier  bone  in  proportion  to  size  than  those  of  the  other 
classes.     The  white  mule  is  never  used  in  the  mines,  for  the 
reason  that  it  tends  to  frighten  other  animals ;  hence,  dark 
bay,  brown  or  black  are  the  only  colors  desired  for  this  pur- 
pose.    Those  mules  selected  for  the  pits  are  of  heavy  bone 
and  of  good  weight,  capable  of  long,  steady  pulls  with  rather 
heavy  loads.     The  surface  class,  while  heavy,   is  some- 
what taller  than  those  in  the  pit,  and  maybe  lighter  in  bone. 

217.  Use  of  the  mule.  —  The  mule  is  a  draft  animal, 
found  wherever  drudgery  is  performed  and  strenuous 
effort  demanded.  If  the  earth  on  which  the  feet  must  go 
is  broken,  marshy  and  wet,  there  you  will  find  the  mule 
in  use;  if  climates  are  hot  and  sultry  and  harmful  to 
health ;  if  paths  are  precipitous  and  dangerous,  requiring 


MULES  AND  JACKS  185 

surefootedness  and  steadiness ;  if  bold  courage  is  required, 
by  the  great  demands  made,  it  is  the  mule  that  is  drafted 
into  service,  because  it  is  well  known  that  he  will  be  found 
equal  to  the  occasion.  He  is  found  in  the  cotton-fields 
of  the  Black-belt,  in  the  sugar-fields  of  the  South,  on  the 
stiff  prairie  lands  of  the  West,  and  on  the  difficult  moun- 
tain trails.  The  mule  has  been  born  and  bred  to  this 
environment^  In  it  he  serves  better  than  any  other 
beast  of  burden,  for  he  asks  less  and  does  more ;  because 
he  enjoys  immunity  to  disease  in  a  large  measure ;  his 
span  of  life  is  many  years ;  and  his  demands  on  his  master 
are  few,  simple  and  reasonable. 

The  mule  also  has  place  as  a  saddle  and  carriage  ani- 
mal, notably  in  parts  of  the  South  and  central  West. 

218.  Feeding.  —  There   is   a   prevailing   opinion   that 
mules  may  be  fed  on  less  food  than  horses  of  the  same  size 
and  weight ;   but  this  is  an  error.     While  it  may  be  true 
that  the  mule  will  utilize  inferior  feeding-stuffs  to  a  better 
advantage   than   his   more   aristocratic   contemporaries, 
still,  to  do  the  work  that  he  is  called  on  to  do,  he  requires 
a  quantity  of  food  equally  as  great  as  that  of  his  horse 
relatives.    The  mule  has  marked  preference  for  certain 
foods,  or  a  marked  dislike  for  other  foods,  a  discrimina- 
tion even  more  sensitive  than  that  of  the  horse. 

219.  Distribution.  —  An  English  writer  describes  the 
distribution  of  mules  as  follows :  "  The  mule  line  extends 
north  from  the  equator,  including  Africa  and  Europe, 
up  to  45°  of  latitude,  and  in  Asia  and  North  America 
as    far   as    35°.      On    the    south    side    of    the    equator 
we  can  include  most  of  Africa,   the  northern  part    of 
Australia  and  South  America,  as  far  south  as  35°.     Within 
this  vast  radius  hundreds  of  thousands  of  mules  are  bred 
each  year.     Many  of  the  mules  are  big,  heavy  animals, 


186  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

with  great  power  and  bone,  and  stand  sixteen  to  seventeen 
hands  high." 

Kentucky  and  Tennessee  have  been  noted  from  early 
days  as  mule-breeding  centers.  Many  noted  jacks  have 
gone  to  these  states,  both  native  and  those  representing 
the  best  of  the  Andalusian,  Catalonian,  Majorcan  and 
the  Maltese  types.  During  recent  years,  it  has  been 
learned  that  while  soil  and  climate  may  influence  quality 
in  the  individual,  care  in  the  selection  of  feeds  and  in  the 
breeding  types  is  also  a  requisite  of  successful  mule 
production.  Consequently,  Texas,  Georgia,  Missouri, 
Kansas  and  Oklahoma,  as  well  as  many  other  states,  are 
vying  with  Kentucky  and  Tennessee  in  producing  mules 
of  high  quality  that  find  favor  in  all  parts  of  the  world. 

220.  Mule  production.  —  Up  to  the  time  of  the  Civil 
War,  but  two  breeds  of  jacks  were  used,  the  Maltese 
and  the  Spanish.  The  Andalusian  and  Catalonian  from 
the  mainland,  and  the  Majorcan,  from  the  island  of 
Majorca,  were  formerly  known  as  Spanish.  So  great  has 
been  the  demand  for  jacks  of  Malta  that  practically  all  have 
been  exported,  and  now  but  few  are  left  on  the  island. 

The  jacks  of  Italy  have  not  been  successful  as  mule- 
producers  in  this  country,  and  consequently  have  entered 
but  slightly  into  the  mule  stock  here.  At  the  present  time, 
there  are  three  noted  breeds  of  jacks  :  the  native,  the  Poitou 
and  the  Catalonian.  In  regard  to  favor  and  importance, 
perhaps,  these  breeds  should  be  ranked  as  mentioned  here. 
Many  of  our  noted  mule-breeders  prefer  native  jacks  to 
those  of  foreign  breeds.  The  native  jack  produces  a  high 
finish,  a  good  form,  strong  legs,  broad  hocks,  and  is  already 
peculiarly  adapted  to  our  environments.  Besides  these 
qualities,  he  extends  to  his  progeny  immunity  to  diseases 
to  an  unusual  degree,  and  an  exceptionally  long  life. 


MULES  AND  JACKS  187 

221.  The  Poitou  jack.  —  The  Poitou  jack  is  a  French 
breed  of  Spanish  origin,  and  is  ranked  by  some  breeders 
as  first  among  jack  breeds.     He  is  liked  especially  for 
agricultural  use,  because  of  the  excellence  of  his  limbs  and 
feet.     The  legs  are  short  and  straight  with  plenty  of  bone, 
while  the  pasterns  are  short,  as  required  of  a  draft  animal. 
The  legs  are  flat  and  hard,  whilst  the  feet  are  large  and 
more  expanded  than  those  of  any  other  breed  of  jacks. 
In  this  respect,  the  Catalonian  jack  is  not  equal  to  the 
French  breed,  although  the  Catalonian  is  finer  in  limbs 
than  the  Poitou. 

With  the  Poitou  jack,  both  the  head  and  ears  are  enor- 
mous; in  fact,  French  breeders  are  inclined  to  regard 
these  as  of  very  great  importance,  —  more  desirable 
than  the  smaller  kind.  The  neck  is  strong.  Withers 
are  not  well  marked,  but  this  is  true  of  all  jack  races. 
The  broad  chest  and  enormous  legs  of  the  Poitou  jack 
promise  much  in  mule-breeding. 

The  Poitou  jack  varies  from  thirteen  and  one-half  to 
fifteen  hands,  which  is  about  the  height  of  native,  Cata- 
lonian and  other  Spanish  breeds.  The  height  of  a  jack 
is  not  nearly  so  important  as  the  character  of  the  head, 
ears,  legs,  feet  and  barrel.  If  height  can  be  secured  from 
the  dam,  it  is  better  to  sacrifice  height  in  the  jack,  in  order 
to  get  other  and  more  desirable  qualities.  The  breed  is 
of  less  importance  than  individual  qualities. 

Prices  for  individuals  of  the  Poitou  breed  are  a  little 
higher,  perhaps,  than  for  either  the  Catalonian  or  native, 
but  it  is  possible  to  get  a  good  Poitou  jack  for  $1000  to 
$1500,  although  some  have  sold  at  $2500  to  $3500  each. 

222.  Importance  of  mules.  —  The  raising  of  mules  is 
demanding  more  attention  from  year  to  year.     Some  of 
the  reasons  for  their  increasing  popularity  may  be  briefly 


188 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


summarized  as  follows :  (1)  It  costs  less  to  breed  and 
raise  a  mule  to  a  serviceable  size  than  a  horse.  (2)  Less 
time  is  required  to  prepare  a  lot  of  mules  than  a  lot  of 
colts  for  the  market.  (3)  Young  mules  may  be  sold 
readily  at  any  age,  and  in  any  number.  (4)  Mule 
colts  uniformly  command  a  higher  price  than  horse  colts 
of  similar  relative  quality  and  value.  (5)  Mules  are 
subject  to  fewer  diseases  and  less  liable  to  serious  accidents. 

223.  The  type  of  jack  to  use.  —  The  jack  for  mule  pro- 
duction should  be  at  least  fifteen  hands  high  and  should 
carry  maximum  weight,  but  this  does  not  mean  that  the 

jack  should  be  fat; 
large  size,  that  with  it 
may  go  heavy  bone,  a 
broad  chest  and  great 
strength  in  the  region 
of  the  hips;  a  large 
strong  foot  is  de- 
sirable also.  To  these 
features  should  be 
added  all  the  style 
attainable  (Fig.  32). 
Associated  with  size 
will  usually  be  found 
a  rather  large  head,  somewhat  heavy  and  coarse,  and 
not  of  the  best  quality;  but  it  is  better  to  sacrifice 
quality  if  weight  and  substance,  requisites  of  the  first 
importance  in  the  mule,  may  be  secured. 

224.  The  kind  of  mare  to  breed  from.  —  A  common 
error  is  to  suppose  that  as  soon  as  a  mare  becomes  diseased 
and  unfit  for  horse-breeding  she  may  be  used  for  the 
production  of  mules.     Perhaps  this  accounts  for  so  many 
inferior  mule  colts.     It  matters  not  how  superior  the 


FIG.  32. —  Poitou  jack. 


MULES  AND  JACKS  189 

jack  may  be,  unless  the  dam  is  equally  sound,  and  of 
equally  good  conformation,  one  will  seldom  succeed,  if 
ever,  in  producing  colts  of  high  quality  and  of  great 
usefulness.  She  should  possess  good  length,  with  a 
large,  well-rounded  barrel;  her  head  must  be  fine  and 
clean,  and  attached  to  a  neck  of  desirable  proportions; 
her  chest  broad,  her  hips  wide,  and,  finally,  her  style, 
bearing  and  breeding  of  high  order. 

For  the  production  of  big  mules,  large  draft  mares 
only  will  serve.  One  may  take  good  grade  mares  of  the 
Percheron,  Clydesdale,  Shire  or  Belgian  breeds;  either 
is  good  and  all  are  satisfactory.  Some  of  the  highest 
class  but  not  the  largest  mules  are  out  of  Saddle, 
Standardbred  or  Thoroughbred  mares.  A  dip  of  hot 
blood  is  favored  by  most  mule-breeders. 

225.  Color.  —  Perhaps  color  is  but  a  play  of  the  fancy. 
Still,  in  the  case  of  the  jack  it  suggests  lineage  and  purity 
of  breeding.     Generally  speaking,  a  dark  color  is  prefer- 
able, if  not  altogether  demanded,  in  the  jack.     Black, 
with  white  points,  is  the  best  fashion.    With  mares,  let 
the  color  be  dark  also :    bay,  black,  brown  or  chestnut. 
Good  color  in  the  dam  will  insure  good  color  in  the  colt, 
a  matter  of  no  small  importance  for  a  discriminating  public. 
There  is  no  special  merit  in  the  color,  and  the  breeder  must  be 
careful  not  to  sacrifice  quality,  size  and  substance  for  color. 

226.  Organizations   and  records.  —  It  has   only  been 
within  the  last  twenty-five  years  that  an  American  society 
has  undertaken    to   advance  the  interest  in  jacks  and 
jennets  and  in  mule-breeding.     The  "  American  Breeders' 
Association  of  Jacks  and  Jennets,"  issued  the  first  stud- 
book  in  1891.    The  office  of  the  secretary  is  at  Columbia, 
Tennessee.     A  jack  stock  registry  has  recently  been  organ- 
ized in  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 


CHAPTER   VII 

THE  MILITARY  HORSE 
Figs.  33,  34. 

FOR  military  purposes,  several  distinct  types  of  horses 
are  required  according  to  the  use  to  which  they  are 
to  be  put;  and  each  type  must  conform  carefully  to  a 
standard  set  by  the  War  Department.  The  specifications 
for  each  type  issued  by  the  War  Departments  of  the 
United  States  and  Great  Britain  (for  Canada)  are  inserted 
for  their  reference  value,  and  also  that  farmers  interested 
in  breeding  horses  for  army  use  may  be  informed  as  to 
what  is  required. 

227.  Horses,  general  description.     (U.  S.  War  Dept.) 

Head.  —  Small  and  well  set  on  neck ;  with  ears  small, 
thin,  neat  and  erect;  forehead  broad  and  full;  eyes 
large,  prominent  and  mild,  with  well-developed  brow  and 
fine  eyelid;  vision  perfect  in  every  respect;  muzzle 
small  and  fine;  mouth  deep;  lips  thin  and  firmly  com- 
pressed ;  nostrils  large  and  fine ;  and  branches  of  under- 
jaw  (adjoining  neck)  wide  apart. 

Neck.  —  Light,  moderately  long  and  tapering  toward 
the  head,  with  crest  firm  and  longer  than  underside; 
mane  and  forelock  fine  and  intact. 

Withers.  —  Elevated,  not  unduly  fine,  well  developed 
and  muscled. 

Shoulders.  —  Long,  oblique  and  well  muscled. 

Chest.  —  Full,  very  deep,  moderately  broad  and 
plump  in  front. 

190 


THE  MILITARY  HORSE  191 

Fore-legs.  —  Vertical  and  properly  placed ;  with  elbow 
large,  long,  prominent  and  clear  of  chest ;  fore-arm  large 
at  the  elbow,  long  and  heavily  muscled. 

Knees.  —  Neatly  outlined,  large,  prominent,  wide  in 
front,  well  situated  and  well  directed. 

Back.  —  Short,  straight  and  well  muscled. 

Loins.  —  Broad,  straight,  very  short  and  muscular. 

Barrel.  —  Large,  increasing  in  size  toward  flanks,  with 
ribs  well  arched  and  definitely  separated. 

Hindquarters.  —  Wide,  thick,  very  long,  full,  heavily 
muscled,  rounded  externally  and  well  directed. 

Tail.  —  Fine  and  intact ;   well  carried  and  firm. 

Hocks.  —  Neatly  outlined,  lean,  large,  wide  from  front 
to  rear,  well  situated  and  well  directed. 

Limbs.  —  From  knees  and  hocks  downward  vertical, 
short,  wide  laterally,  with  tendons  and  ligaments  standing 
well  out  from  bone  and  distinctly  defined. 

Pasterns.  —  Strong,  medium  length,  not  too  oblique  and 
well  directed. 

Feet.  —  Medium  size,  circular  in  shape,  sound ;  with 
horn  dark,  smooth  and  of  fine  texture;  sole  moderately 
concave,  and  frog  well  developed,  sound,  firm,  large, 
elastic  and  healthy. 

Each  horse  will  be  subjected  to  a  rigid  inspection  and 
any  animal  that  does  not  meet  with  the  above  require- 
ments should  be  rejected.  No  white  or  gray  horses  will 
be  accepted. 

228.   Horses,  special  descriptions.     (U.  S.  War  Dept.) 

Mature   cavalry   horses   and  saddle   horses  for   mountain 
artillery,    Signal    Corps,    Engineer    Corps,    Infantry 
and  other  purposes. 
The  mature  horse  must  be  sound,  well  bred,  of  a  su- 


192 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


perior  class  and  have  quality;  gentle  and  of  a  kind  dis- 
position; well  broken  to  the  saddle,  with  light  and 
elastic  mouth,  easy  gaits  and  free  and  prompt  action  at 
the  walk,  trot  and  gallop;  free  from  vicious  habits; 
without  material  blemish  or  defect. 

A  gelding  of  specified  color,  in  good  condition ;   from  5 
to  8  years  old  at  time  of  purchase;  weighing  from  950 

to  1100  pounds,  de- 
pending on  height, 
which  should  be  from 
15  to  15f  hands,  and 
otherwise  to  conform 
to  general  description 
for  horses  (Fig.  33). 

Artillery  horses  for  light 
and  horse  batteries. 
The  artillery  horse 
for  light  and  horse 
batteries  must  be 
sound,  well  bred,  of  a  superior  class  and  have  quality; 
of  a  kind  disposition,  well  broken  to  harness  and  gentle 
under  the  saddle,  with  easy  mouth  and  gaits,  and  free 
and  prompt  action  at  the  walk,  trot  and  gallop;  free 
from  vicious  habits;  without  material  blemish  or  defect. 
A  gelding  of  specified  color,  in  good  condition,  from  5 
to  8  years  old  at  time  of  purchase;  height  from  15^  to 
16  hands;  weight  from  1150  to  1250  pounds,  and  other- 
wise to  conform  to  general  description  for  horses,  except 
that  the  neck  and  shoulders  of  the  artillery  horse  should 
be  somewhat  more  heavily  muscled  than  the  cavalry 
horse,  and  shoulders  so  formed  as  to  properly  support  the 
collar  (Fig.  34). 


FIG.  33.  —  The  coachy  horse  or  charger. 


THE  MILITARY  HORSE 


198 


FIG.  34.  —  Light  artillery  horse. 


Horses  otherwise  satisfactory  which  fall  short  of  or 
exceed  these  limits  of  weight  by  not  more  than  50  pounds, 
due  to  temporary  con- 
ditions, maybe  accepted. 

The  artillery  horse  for 
light  and  horse  batteries 
is  required  for  quick 
draft  purposes,  and 
should  be  heavy  enough 
to  move  the  carriage 
ordinarily  by  weight 
thrown  into  the  collar 
rather  than  by  muscular 
exertion.  Long-legged, 
loose-jointed,  long- 
bodied,  narrow-chested,  coarse  and  cold-blooded  horses, 
as  well  as  those  which  are  restive,  vicious  or  too  free  in 
harness,  or  which  do  not  upon  rigid  inspection  meet  the 
above  requirements  in  every  respect  will  be  rejected. 

Artillery  horses  for  siege  batteries. 

A  gelding  or  mare  conforming  to  the  above  specifica- 
tion for  horses  for  light  and  horse  batteries,  except  that 
the  animal  should  be  from  16  to  17  hands  high  and  weigh 
from  1350  to  1650  pounds. 

A  smart,  active  heavy  draft  horse  with  plenty  of  bone 
and  substance  and  enough  quality  to  insure  staying  power 
in  fairly  fast  work  is  required  for  this  service. 

Specifications  for  mounts  for  use  in  the  Panama  Canal  Zone. 

A  gelding,  stallion  or  mare  of  specified  color,  in  good 

condition;    from  4  to  8  years  old  at  time  of  purchase; 

weighing  from  800  to  950  pounds,  depending  on  height, 


194  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

which  should  be  from  14  to  15  hands,  and  otherwise  to 
conform  to  general  description  for  horses. 

Stallions  and  mares  will  be  purchased  only  when  ex- 
ceptionally fine  individuals  and  then  only  by  special 
authority. 

Medium  draft  horses. 

The  medium  draft  horse  must  be  sound,  well  bred  and 
of  a  superior  class;  gentle  and  of  a  kind  disposition, 
thoroughly  broken  to  harness,  with  easy  mouth  and  free, 
prompt,  straight  and  regular  action  at  the  walk  and  trot ; 
free  from  vicious  habits ;  without  material  blemish  or  de- 
fect, and  otherwise  to  conform  to  the  general  description 
for  horses,  except  neck  and  shoulders,  which  should  con- 
form to  specifications  for  artillery  horse. 

A  mare  or  gelding  of  uniform  and  hardy  color,  in  good 
condition;  from  5  to  7  years  old  at  time  of  purchase; 
weighing  from  1200  to  1400  pounds,  depending  on  height, 
which  should  be  from  15^  to  16|  hands. 

Light  draft  horses. 

The  light  draft  horse  must  be  sound,  well  bred,  of  a 
superior  class  and  have  quality;  of  a  kind  disposition; 
thoroughly  broken  to  harness ;  with  easy  mouth,  and  free, 
prompt,  straight  and  true  action  at  the  walk  and  trot; 
free  from  vicious  habits;  without  material  blemish  or 
defect,  and  otherwise  to  conform  to  the  general  descrip- 
tion for  horses,  except  neck  and  shoulders,  which  should 
conform  to  specifications  for  artillery  horse. 

A  mare  or  gelding  of  uniform  and  hardy  color,  in  good 
condition;  from  5  to  7  years  old  at  time  of  purchase; 
weighing  from  1100  to  1200  pounds,  depending  on 
height,  which  should  be  from  15|  to  16  hands. 


THE  MILITARY  HORSE  195 

Young  horses  for  cavalry,  artillery  and  other  purposes. 

The  young  horse  must  be  sound,  well  bred,  of  a  superior 
class  and  have  quality;  gentle,  free  from  vicious  habits 
and  of  a  kind  disposition ;  broken  to  halter,  with  free  and 
prompt  action  at  the  walk,  trot  and  gallop ;  without  ma- 
terial blemish  or  defect,  and  otherwise  to  conform  to 
general  description  for  horses,  and  also  to  the  following 
special  requirements : 

A  mare  or  gelding  of  specified  color  in  good  health  and 
fair  condition. 

Mares  will  be  purchased  only  when  exceptionally  fine 
individuals  and  then  only  by  special  authority. 

Two-year-olds.  —  Minimum  height,  14f  hands ;  mini- 
mum weight,  in  flesh,  750  pounds.  No  two-year-olds 
will  be  purchased  except  when  specially  authorized. 

Three-year-olds.  —  Minimum  height,  15  hands ;  mini- 
mum weight,  in  flesh,  850  pounds. 

Four-year-olds. — Minimum  height,  15  hands,  minimum 
weight,  900  pounds.  Weight  depending  upon  height. 

229.   Mules.     (U.  S.  War  Dept.) 
Specifications  for  draft  mules.  t 

The  draft  mule  must  be  sound,  well  bred  and  of  a 
superior  class;  of  a  kind  disposition;  free  from  vicious 
habits ;  gentle  and  well  broken  to  harness,  with  free  and 
springy  action  at  the  walk  or  trot;  without  material 
blemish  or  defect,  and  otherwise  to  conform  to  the  fol- 
lowing description : 

A  mare  or  gelding  of  uniform  and  hardy  color,  in  good 
condition;  from  3  to  7  years  old;  weight  and  height  to 
be  as  follows : 

Three-year-old  mules  will  be  purchased  only  when 
exceptionally  fine  individuals. 


196  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Wheel  mules  to  weigh  from  1150  to  1250  pounds  and 
be  from  15f  to  16 J  hands  high. 

Lead  mules  to  weigh  from  1000  to  1150  pounds  and  be 
from  15  to  15|  hands  high. 

Head. — Well  formed  and  of  medium  size,  with  ears  long, 
tapering  and  erect ;  forehead  broad  and  full ;  eyes  large, 
clear,  prominent  and  mild,  with  well  developed  brow  and 
fine  eyelid ;  vision  perfect  in  every  respect ;  teeth  sound 
and  meeting  vertically;  tongue  free  from  blemishes; 
muzzle  well  rounded  and  firm,  with  large  nostrils. 

Neck.  —  Medium  length  and  smoothly  joined  to  the 
shoulder  and  withers,  with  crest  firm,  full  and  inclined 
to  arch. 

Shoulders.  —  Long,  oblique,  well  and  smoothly  muscled, 
and  so  formed  as  to  provide  proper  support  for  the  collar. 

Chest.  —  High,  wide,  very  deep  and  full. 

Back.  —  Short,  straight  and  well  and  smoothly  muscled. 

Loins.  —  Broad,  straight,  very  short  and  muscular. 

Barrel.  —  Large,  with  ribs  well  arched  and  definitely 
separated  from  each  other. 

Fore-legs.  —  Vertical  and  properly  placed ;  with  elbow 
large,  long  and  olear  of  chest ;  fore-arm  large,  very  long, 
heavily  muscled  and  vertical. 

Knees.  —  Large,  wide  in  front,  well  placed  and  free 
from  blemishes. 

Hind-quarters.  —  Wide,  thick,  very  long,  full,  heavily 
muscled,  rounded  externally  and  well  directed. 

Hocks.  —  Neatly  outlined,  lean,  free  from  puffs,  large, 
wide  from  front  to  rear  and  well  directed.  Gaskins  well 
developed. 

Limbs.  —  From  knees  and  hocks  downward  vertical, 
short,  wide  laterally,  with  tendons  and  ligaments  stand- 
ing well  out  from  bone  and  distinctly  defined. 


TEE    MILITARY  HORSE  197 

Pasterns.  —  Strong,  medium  length,  not  too  oblique 
and  well  directed. 

Feet.  —  Medium  size  and  round ;  with  horn  dark, 
smooth,  and  of  fine  texture ;  frog  well  developed,  elastic 
and  healthy. 

Each  mule  will  be  subjected  to  a  rigid  inspection,  and 
any  animal  that  does  not  meet  the  above  requirements 
should  be  rejected. 

Specifications  for  pack  and  riding  mules. 

Pack  and  riding  mules  will  conform  to  specifications  for 
draft  mules,  except  as  follows:  Height  from  14  J  to  15i 
hands;  weight  from  900  to  1100  pounds.  Of  stocky 
build;  neck  stocky,  broad  and  strong;  back  short  and 
straight,  showing  strength  of  loins ;  barrel  very  large  and 
deep,  indicating  a  good  feeder ;  dock  low  and  stiff ;  pas- 
terns short,  strong  and  not  too  oblique. 

Specifications  for  pack  and  riding  mules  for  use  in  the 
Panama  Canal  Zone. 

Pack  and  riding  mules  for  use  in  the  Panama  Canal  Zone 
will  conform  to  specifications  for  draft  mules,  except  as 
follows:  Height  from  13  to  14  hands;  weight  from  700 
to  850  pounds.  Of  stocky  build ;  neck  stocky,  broad  and 
strong ;  back  short  and  straight,  showing  strength  of  loins ; 
barrel  large  and  deep,  indicating  a  good  feeder ;  dock  low 
and  stiff;  pasterns  short,  strong  and  not  too  oblique. 

230.  Horses  required  by  the  British  War  Office.— 
The  following  specifications,  issued  by  the  British  War 
Office,  designate  the  types  of  army  horses  called  for  in 
Canada.  A  discussion  of  the  breeding  of  horses  in 
Canada  for  army  use  will  be  found  in  Appendix  I  of 
"The  Horse,"  by  Roberts. 

The  classes  and  types  of  horses  required  for  the  army 
may  be  generally  described  as  follows:  (1)  Char  gen 


198  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

(for  officers).  —  Height  from  15  hands  1  inch  to  15  hands 
3  inches.  (2)  Riding  horses  (troopers).  —  Height  from  15 
hands  1  inch  to  15  hands  2^  inches.  (3)  Cobs  (for  mounted 
infantry).  —  Height  from  14  hands  2  inches  to  15  hands. 
(4)  Draft  horses  (for  gun  and  wagon).  —  Height  from 
15  hands  2  inches  to  15  hands  3^  inches. 

Age.  —  From  4  years  (off)  to  6  years. 

Color.  —  Bays,  browns  and  blacks  preferred,  but  chest- 
nuts will  be  accepted.  Whites,  grays,  piebalds  or  skew- 
balds, etc.,  are  required  only  for  special  purposes.  Light, 
washy-colored  horses  are  not  accepted. 

Sex.  —  Geldings  or  mares.  Entire  or  unmanageable 
horses  are  not  accepted. 

Unhogged  manes  and  undocked  tails  are  desired,  espe- 
cially in  the  case  of  chargers.  Good  horses  with  short 
manes  and  docks  can  be  accepted. 

Soundness.  —  No  horse  is  accepted  without  passing  a 
veterinary  examination;  and  soundness  in  wind,  eyes 
and  limb  is  insisted  on.  Stale,  upright  and  over-shooting 
joints,  weak  or  curby  hocks,  brushing,  dishing  or  untrue 
action,  turned-in  or  turned-out  toes  and  weak  feet  are 
absolute  disqualifications. 

Chargers,  riding  horses  and  cobs  should  be  short-legged, 
short-backed,  good-barrelled,  with  good  rein  and  shoul- 
ders, of  the  hunter  stamp,  with  substance  and  quality, 
action  true  and  quite  clear  of  the  joints. 

Draft  horses  should  not  be  too  big,  but  fit  to  carry  a 
man  driving  postillion;  active  and  able  to  gallop,  deep, 
short-legged,  well  ribbed-up,  with  plenty  of  substance 
and  quality;  action  true  and  quite  clear  of  the  joints. 
Very  coarse  horses  and  those  with  heavy  rolling  action 
are  not  accepted. 

Note.  —  No  horses  will  be  purchased  unless  they  have 
been  handled  and  are  reasonably  quiet. 


PART   II 
THE   BREEDS   OF   CATTLE 


Beef 
p.  201 


Shorthorn 
Polled  Durham 
Hereford 
Aberdeen  Angus 
Galloway 
Sussex 


Dual-Purpose   {  Red  Polled 
p.  313  1  Devon 


Dairy 
p.  255 


Lesser 
Known 
Cattle 
p.  322 


Jersey 

Guernsey 

Holstein-Friesian 

Ayrshire 

Brown  Swiss 

Dutch  Belted 

French-Canadian 

Kerry 

Dexter-Kerry 

West  Highland 

Brahmin  or  Zebu 

Simmenthal 

Longhorn 


199 


PLATE  VI.  —  Breed  Types  of  Cattle. 


SHORTHORN  BULL. 


SHORTHORN  Cow. 


CHAPTER  VIII 
THE  BEEF  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE 

THESE  are  quite  uniform  in  the  degree  to  which  they  all 
conform  to  the  beef  type.  They  are  low  set,  of  parallelo- 
gram form  from  the  side,  as  the  effect  of  their  straight  and 
parallel  top  and  under  lines,  with  square  ends,  rectangular 
from  any  other  view  owing  to  their  width  throughout, 
thickly  fleshed,  easily  fatted  and  possessed  of  quality 
yet  great  scale.  In  consequence  they  mature  early,  fatten 
readily,  dress  a  high  percentage  of  their  live  weight  and 
carry  the  maximum  weight  of  their  dressed  carcasses  in 
the  region  of  the  most  desirable  cuts;  i.e.,  rib,  loin  and 
round,  which  are  of  the  highest  quality. 
t  '•** 
SHORTHORN  CATTLE.  Plate  VI.  Fig.  35. 

By  Herbert  W.  Mumford 

231.  Shorthorn  cattle  are  a  breed  possessing  both  beef 
and  dairy  types.  Registered  and  grade  cattle  of  this 
breed  are  more  numerous  than  the  cattle  of  any  other  beef 
breed.  They  originated  in  the  valley  of  the  Tees  river, 
in  northeastern  England,  and  first  became  prized  by 
farmers  in  the  shires  of  Durham,  Northumberland,  Lin- 
coln and  York.  Largely  from  the  localities  in  which 
they  originated,  Shorthorns  were  formerly  called  Tees- 
water  cattle  and  Durhams.  These  names  as  referring 
to  Shorthorns  have  now  largely  become  obsolete. 

201 


202  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

232.  Origin  in  England.  —  As  has  been  said,  the  Short- 
horn breed  of  cattle  originated  in  northeastern  England, 
and  first  became  popular  in  the  shires  of  Durham,  North- 
umberland,   Lincoln   and   York.     From   this   somewhat 
restricted  territory  their  popularity  gradually  extended 
throughout  England   and   Scotland,   until,   early  in  the 
nineteenth  century,  they  were  by  far  the  most  popular 
race  of  cattle  in  the  British  Isles.     Authorities  differ 
somewhat  as  to  the  particular  stock  used  in  developing 
this  breed.     All  agree,  however,  that  the  largest  factor 
entering  into  their  production  was  the  native  cattle  of  the 
northeastern  section  of  England.     That  occasional  crosses 
of  Dutch  bulls  were  used  is  probable. 

233.  Breeding    by   Colling    Brothers.  —  Improvement 
began  about   1750,   although   very  little  methodical  or 
efficient  work  was  accomplished  prior  to  the  cattle-breeding 
operations  of  Robert  and  Charles  Colling,  of  Barmpton 
and  Ketton  Hall.     By  careful  selection  and  inbreeding 
they  succeeded  in  setting  standards  towards  which  con- 
temporary breeders  aimed.     Charles  Ceiling's  first  Short- 
horn purchase  was  made  in  1784.     His  herd  was  dispersed 
successfully   in   1810.     Robert   Ceiling's   herd   was   sold 
partly  in  1818  and  the  remainder  in  1820.     While  these 
two  brothers  operated  their  farms  separately  and  main- 
tained separate  herds,  their  methods  and  accomplishments 
were  similar.    They  were  unusually  fortunate  in  the  pur- 
chase of  that  first  great  Shorthorn  sire,  Hubback  (319). 
While  this  was  an  undersized  bull,  yellow-red  in  color, 
he  proved   a  fortunate   "  nick "  for  the  late-maturing, 
coarse  cows  so  common  in  the  early  history  of  the  breed. 
As  breeders  of  the  Durham  Ox,  The  White  Heifer  that 
Traveled,  Favorite  (252)  and  Comet  (155),  these  pioneer 
breeders    established    a    reputation    for    breeding    good 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  203 

Shorthorns  that  has  made  an  impression  on  every  careful 
student  of  the  early  history  of  the  breed. 

234.  Other  English  breeders.  —  Among  others,  the  fol- 
lowing breeders  were  identified  with  the  early  history  of 
the  breed  :  Sir  William  St.  Quintin,  Sir  James  Pennyman, 
and  Messrs.  Milbank,    Sharter,    Pickering,    Stephenson, 
Wetherell,  Maynard,  Dobinson,  Charge,  Wright,  Hutchin- 
son,   Snowden,  Waistell,   Richard  and  William   Barker, 
Brown,    Hall,    Hill,    Best,    Watson,    Baker,    Thompson, 
Jackson,  Smith,  Jolly,  Masterman,  Wallace  and  Robert- 
son. 

Darlington  was  for  years  looked  on  as  the  center  of 
Shorthorn  interests,  although,  strange  as  it  may  seem, 
there  is  but  little  activity  in  breeding  Shorthorns  in  that 
section  at  the  present  time. 

235.  Thomas  Bates  of  Kirklevington.  —  Thomas  Bates, 
who  was  destined  to  become  such  an  important  factor 
in  the  breeding  of  Shorthorn  cattle,  purchased  his  first 
stock  in  1800.     He  had  previously  been  a  breeder  of  Ky- 
loes  or  West  Highland  cattle.     He  was  well  prepared  for 
the  work  he  undertook,  and  established  families  of  Short- 
horns of  such  pronounced  individuality  and  recognized 
excellence  of  pedigree  that  they  were  at  one  time  by  far 
the  most  popular  strain  of  the  breed.     Prices  were  paid 
during  "  boom  times  "  for  Bates'  Shorthorns  that  have 
never  been  approached  by  Shorthorns  of  other  lines  of 
breeding.     Thomas  Bates  was  a  stickler  for  pedigree. 
He  assumed  that  cattle  bred  along  certain  specified  lines 
would  produce,  when  mated,  almost  invariably  certain 
desired  results.     The  particular  family  or  tribe  which  he 
developed   most   and   favored   most   was   the   Duchess. 
Fabulous  prices  have  been  paid  for  representatives  of  this 
family.     The  highest  recorded  price,  $40,600,  was  paid 


204  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

for  a  cow  of  this  family  at  the  New  York  Mills  sale  of 
September  10,  1873. 

Belvedere  (1706)  was  one  of  the  best  bulls  used  by  Bates, 
while  the  Duke  of  Northumberland  (1940),  the  acknowl- 
edged champion  bull  of  England  in  1842,  was  undoubtedly 
the  best  bull  ever  produced  at  Kirkle vington .  Bates'  aim  in 
breeding  was  to  produce  a  dual-purpose  cow,  and  as  a  con- 
sequence he  gave  careful  attention  to  preserving  the  milk- 
ing qualities  of  his  Shorthorns.  There  was  a  characteristic 
style  and  finish  about  Bates'  Shorthorns  that  still  clings 
to  cattle  containing  a  strong  infusion  of  this  blood.  While 
cattle  of  Thomas  Bates'  breeding  were  frequently  seen  in 
the  show-ring  from  1838  to  1848,  and  wherever  shown  were 
unusually  successful,  he  was  personally  very  much  opposed 
to  training  cattle  for  show.  The  Bates  herd  was  dispersed 
in  1850,  when  prices  were  very  low,  and  as  a  consequence 
the  cattle  did  not  bring  what  they  were  worth. 

236.  Breeding  by  the  Booths.  —  The  elder  Booth  was 
a  contemporary  of  Thomas  Bates.  His  first  herd  was 
established  at  Killerby  in  1790.  His  especial  aim  was  to 
breed  an  earlier-maturing  beast  that  would  be  noted  for 
its  beef-producing  rather  than  its  milk-producing  qualities. 
While  Booth  was  very  ready  to  admit  that  the  Collings 
had  greatly  improved  Shorthorns,  he  did  not  think,  as 
many  of  the  breeders  of  the  time  apparently  thought, 
that  it  was  necessary  to  buy  the  females  composing  his 
herd  of  them.  Among  his  early  purchases  were  five 
heifer  calves  from  the  herd  of  Mr.  Broader  of  Fairholme. 
To  mate  with  these  heifers,  Booth  purchased  the  Robert 
Colling  bred  bull,  Twin  Brother  to  Ben  (660),  and  one 
of  his  get.  Some  of  the  best  of  the  Killerby  and  Warlaby 
cattle  descended  from  this  line  of  breeding  and  from  the 
following  tribes  or  families :  Blossom,  Bright  Eyes,  Isabella 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  205 

and  the  Booth  Red  Roses.  Another  bull  which  was  pur- 
chased of  Robert  Colling  was  Suworow  (626),  at  the  disper- 
sion sale  of  the  Ketton  Hall  herd  in  1810.  Booth  purchased 
the  bull  Albion  (14),  which  proved  to  be  a  most  excellent 
sire.  Most  of  his  bulls  were  from  the  Ceilings'  herds.  Be- 
sides the  families  of  Shorthorns  mentioned,  Thomas  Booth 
was  partial  to  the  Strawberry  and  Bracelet  tribes.  In  1819, 
Thomas  Booth  gave  up  the  Killerby  farm  and  a  part  of 
his  herd  to  his  son  John,  and  removed  to  his  Warlaby 
farm,  so  prominent  in  Shorthorn  history.  To  another 
son,  Richard,  who  was  on  the  Studley  farm,  he  had  also 
sold  a  number  of  his  Shorthorns. 

Other  families  of  Shorthorns  which  should  be  associated 
with  the  Booth  families  are  the  Farewells,  the  Broughton, 
Dairy  Maids  or  Moss  Roses,  Gaudy  or  Lady  Betty  sort, 
Mantilinis  and  Belindas. 

Perhaps  the  three  most  famous  show  animals  bred  by 
Booth  were  Bracelet  and  Necklace,  twin  heifers,  sired  by 
Priam  (2452)  and  Lady  Fragrant.  The  twin  cows  men- 
tioned proved  excellent  breeders.  The  most  famous  bull 
used  by  any  of  the  Booths  was  Crown  Prince  (10087), 
"  The  bull  of  all  Booth  bulls,"  the  one  that  was  to  Warlaby 
what  Duke  of  Northumberland  was  to  Kirklevington, 
and  Champion  of  England  was  to  Sittyton.  Crown 
Prince  was  considered  too  valuable  a  stock-getter  to  be 
fitted  for  exhibition. 

The  Booth  family  is  still  interested  in  the  breeding  of 
Shorthorns  and  the  operations  of  this  family  will  always 
remain  an  interesting  chapter  in  the  history  of  Shorthorns. 
They  were  prominent  in  the  leading  live-stock  shows  of 
the  country,  and  undoubtedly  the  breeding  qualities  of 
many  of  their  best  cattle  were  affected  by  high  feeding 
for  exhibition  purposes. 


206  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

237.  History  in  the  United  States.  —  The  first  recorded 
importation  of  Shorthorns  to  the  United  States  was  that 
of  Mr.  Miller,  of  Virginia,  and  Mr.  Gough,  of  Baltimore, 
Maryland.       These    gentlemen    imported    from    Great 
Britain,  in  1783,  some  cattle  that  were  undoubtedly  of 
the  Shorthorn  breed.     In  the  years  1790  and  1795,  it  is 
thought  that  they  brought  in  consignments  of  cattle  of 
the  same  breed.     In  1791  and  1796,  Mr.  Heaton  brought 
several  Shorthorns  from  England  to  the  state  of  New 
York,  which  were  lost  among  the  common  stock  of  the 
country.      A  Scotchman  named  Cox  brought  a  Short- 
horn bull  and  two  cows  to  Rensselaer  county,  New  York, 
in  1815.     The  first  Kentucky  importation  was  made  in 
1817,  by  Colonel  Lewis  Sanders,  who  purchased  through 
an   agent    eight    Shorthorns    and    four    Longhorns.     At 
about   the   same   time,   James   Prentice,   of   Lexington, 
Kentucky,  imported  two  good  Shorthorn  bulls. 

Importations  were  brought  to  the  state  of  Massachusetts 
in  1817  by  Samuel  Williams,  and  in  1818  by  Cornelius 
Coolidge.  In  1822,  Williams  sent  over  the  roan  yearling 
heifer  Arabella,  by  North  Star  (460).  The  Arabellas  were 
noted  for  being  heavy  milkers,  and  at  one  time  constituted 
a  large  and  valuable  family.  Other  Massachusetts  im- 
portations of  an  early  date  were  made  by  Messrs.  Lee,  Orr, 
Monson,  Coffin,  Rotch  and  Silsby.  From  1821  to  1828, 
several  unimportant  importations  were  made  to  New  York, 
Pennsylvania  and  Maryland.  In  1833,  Walter  Dunn, 
living  near  Lexington,  Kentucky,  imported  six  head  of 
valuable  Shorthorns.  Another  importation  was  made 
by  Dunn  in  company  with  Samuel  Smith  in  1836. 

238.  Organization.  —  The   year   1833  was  important 
in  Shorthorn  history,  for  the  organization  of  the  Ohio 
Importing  Company,  "For  the  purpose  of  promoting  the 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  207 

interest  of  agriculture  and  introducing  an  improved  breed 
of  cattle."  Felix  Renick  was  chosen  agent  of  this  com- 
pany to  go  to  England  to  select  cattle  for  the  company. 
While  it  was  not  restricted  to  purchase  all  Shorthorns,  it 
decided,  after  considerable  investigation,  to  import  only 
Shorthorns.  Among  the  herds  visited  were  those  of  May- 
nard,  Booth,  Bates,  Whitaker,  Althrope,  Craddock,  Raine 
and  Paley.  Seven  bulls  and  twelve  females  were  carefully 
selected  for  the  first  importation.  In  this  lot  were  the  two 
heifers,  Rose  of  Sharon  and  Young  Mary,  which  were 
destined  to  play  such  an  important  part  in  the  history  of 
Shorthorns  in  the  United  States.  This  importation  was 
so  satisfactory  to  the  shareholders  of  the  Ohio  Importing 
Company  that  their  agent  was  soon  authorized  to  make 
arrangements  for  further  importations.  In  1835  and  1836, 
Whitaker,  through  Renick's  authorization,  sent  out  two 
shipments  comprising  forty-two  animals  to  the  Ohio 
Importing  Company.  Among  these  were  Josephine, 
Young  Phyllis,  Illustrious  and  Harriet.  In  August,  1836, 
this  company  held  a  sale  on  Felix  Renick's  farm  in  Rose 
county,  Ohio.  Forty-three  animals  were  sold  at  an 
average  price  of  $803.25,  or  a  total  of  $34,540.  The  final 
dispersion  sale  of  the  company  was  held  in  1837,  at  which 
the  fifteen  animals  averaged  $1071.65.  A  number  of 
importations  were  made  to  Ohio  from  1836  to  1840.  In 
1839,  the  Kentucky  Importing  Company  brought  over  a 
number  of  Shorthorns. 

239.  History  since  1840.  —  From  1840  to  1850,  agri- 
culture in  the  United  States  was  in  a  very  depressed  state, 
and  the  cattle  industry,  along  with  other  farm  interests, 
remained  practically  at  a  standstill.  There  was  little 
demand  for  breeding  cattle,  which  resulted  in  large  num- 
bers of  Shorthorn  breeding  stock  finding  their  way  to 


208  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

the  shambles.  In  1852,  the  Scioto  Valley  Importing 
Company  was  organized.  This  company,  through  its 
agents,  George  W.  Renick  and  Arthur  Watts,  imported 
ten  bulls  and  seventeen  females,  which  were  sold  at  auction 
at  the  very  high  average  of  $1351.85.  This  sale  proved 
a  stimulus  to  Shorthorn-cattle-breeding  interests,  and 
other  importing  companies  were  quickly  organized, 
among  which  were  the  Madison  County,  Ohio,  the  North- 
ern Kentucky,  and  the  Scott  County  Importing  Com- 
panies, the  Clinton  County,  Ohio,  and  Clark  County, 
Ohio,  Associations. 

In  1852  and  1853,  A.  J.  Alexander  of  Kentucky,  who  was 
visiting  in  Great  Britain,  laid  the  foundation  of  the  Wood- 
burn  herd  of  Shorthorns.  The  first  shipment  of  cattle 
to  the  Alexander  farm  was  made  in  1853;  subsequently 
other  importations  were  made,  which  included  Duchess 
Airdrie,  Duchess  Athol,  Pearlette,  Victoria  20th,  Filigree, 
Lady  Gulnare,  Minna,  Constance,  Rosabella  and  other 
cows.  Three  of  the  leading  bulls  imported  were  Duke 
of  Airdrie,  Second  Duke  of  Athol  and  Dr.  Buckingham. 
At  the  Northern  Kentucky  and  Scott  County  Companies' 
sales,  Alexander  made  important  purchases  in  the  cows 
Mazurka,  Maid  of  Melrose  and  Equity.  The  Wood- 
burn  herd  took  a  prominent  place  in  Shorthorn  affairs  and 
was  at  one  time  probably  one  of  the  largest  and  best  Short- 
horn herds  in  America,  if  not  in  the  world.  The  Duke 
of  Airdrie  (12730)  was  used  a  year  by  George  M.  Bedford 
and  to  some  extent  by  Abram  Renick  and  Jere  Duncan, 
as  well  as  by  Alexander.  Bell  Duke  of  Airdrie  (2552), 
Duncan's  Duke  of  Airdrie  (2743)  and  Airdrie  (2478)  are 
considered  among  this  great  bull's  most  famous  sons. 

Among  the  most  prominent  breeders  of  Shorthorns 
in  the  United  States  at  this  early  period  should  be  men- 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  209 

tioned  Abram  Renick  of  Kentucky.  Perhaps  the  most 
far-reaching  accomplishment  of  his  efforts  is  to  be  found 
in  the  founding  and  bringing  to  a  high  degree  of  excellence 
that  family  that  for  many  years  attracted  international 
attention,  viz.,  the  Rose  of  Sharon.  The  bull  Airdrie 
2478,  already  mentioned,  was  spoken  of  as  one  of  medium 
size,  very  symmetrical,  neat,  smooth  and  stylish,  and  a 
remarkable  sire  of  high-class  bulls.  This  bull  was  used 
extensively  in  Mr.  Renick's  herd  and  sired,  among  other 
famous  Shorthorns,  the  bull  Sweepstakes  (6230),  Joe 
Johnson,  Airdrie  3d  (13320),  Dick  Taylor  (5508),  and 
Airdrie  Duke  (5306).  It  was  with  the  get  of  Airdrie 
that  Mr.  Renick  began  his  system  of  in-and-inbreeding, 
producing  the  Rose  of  Sharons  that  called  forth  the 
admiration  and  respect  of  the  entire  Shorthorn-breeding 
fraternity. 

Even  a  brief  history  of  Shorthorns  should  not  omit 
the  name  of  Warfield.  Benjamin  Warfield  secured  his 
first  pure-bred  Shorthorn  in  1831.  The  first  great  sire 
in  the  herd  was  Renick  (903).  He  was  noted  more  as  a 
sire  than  for  his  individual  excellence.  Benjamin  War- 
field  was  succeeded  by  his  son,  William  Warfield,  of  Gras- 
mere.  One  of  the  famous  bulls  used  by  Warfield  was 
Muscatoon  (7057).  This  bull  proved  to  be  not  only  an 
excellent  show  bull,  but  a  sire  of  superior  show  animals. 
William  Warfield  originated  the  London  Duchesses,  by 
many  persons  thought  to  be  one  of  the  best  tribes  of  Short- 
horns evolved  in  America. 

Several  importations  were  made  into  the  eastern  part 
of  the  United  States  from  1830  to  1860.  This  stock  was 
very  largely  of  the  Bates  strains.  Perhaps  the  most 
notable  importations  during  this  period  were  by  Samuel 
Thome,  of  Thorndale,  New  York.  His  first  importation 


210  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

was  followed  by  others  in  1854,  1855  and  1856.  These 
constituted  the  highest-priced  cattle  that  had  thus  far 
been  brought  to  the  United  States.  In  1857,  Thome 
purchased  the  Morris  and  Becar  herd,  consisting  of  fifty- 
three  Shorthorns,  at  the  reported  price  of  $35,000. 

While  the  principal  importations  were  confined  to  Ken- 
tucky, Ohio  and  New  York,  Shorthorn  activity  was 
apparent  elsewhere,  notably  in  Illinois,  Indiana,  Michigan, 
Missouri  and  Iowa. 

240.  History  in  Canada.  —  In  1833,  Roland  Wingfield, 
near  Toronto,  imported  two  Shorthorn  bulls  and  five 
cows  from  England.  Other  early  importations  were 
made  by  the  Home  District  Agricultural  Society,  Adam 
Furgeson,  George  and  John  Simpson,  William  and  George 
Miller  and  Frederick  William  Stone.  It  may  be  said, 
however,  that  the  Shorthorns  were  not  imported  ex- 
tensively to  Canada  until  Scotch  Shorthorns  came  into 
popularity.  Messrs.  George  and  William  Miller,  Simon 
Beattie,  George  Isaac  and  M.  H.  Cochrane  were  first 
responsible  for  Shorthorn  activity  in  Canada. 

The  first  Canadian  to  bring  Scotch  cattle  into  promi- 
nence in  America  was  Joseph  S.  Thompson,  Mayfield, 
Whitby,  Canada.  He  imported  the  Champion  of  England 
heifers,  Sylvia  and  Christobel,  also  Violet  4th.  James  I. 
Davidson,  Balsam,  Ontario,  was  also  one  of  the  early  and 
most  ardent  supporters  of  the  Scotch  type  in  Shorthorns. 
He  started  his  Shorthorn  herd  in  1860.  From  1881  to 
1887,  practically  all  the  stock  from  the  Sittyton  herd  that 
was  brought  to  the  United  States  passed  through  the 
hands  of  Davidson.  John  Dryden,  Brooklyn,  Ontario, 
founded  the  Maple  Shade  farm  herd  of  Shorthorns,  in 
1871.  He  imported  that  famous  Champion  of  England 
cow,  Mimulus,  and  other  good  ones  representing  the  best 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  211 

of  the  Sittyton  blood.  George  Brown,  of  Bow  Park  farm, 
will  go  down  in  history  as  a  prominent  factor  in  Canadian 
Shorthorn  activity.  Among  other  Canadian  breeders 
and  importers  were  John  M.  Armstrong,  Arthur  Johnson, 
W.  B.  Telfar,  W.  Major,  William  Collum,  Thomas  Russell, 
Francis  Green  and  George  Whitfield. 

241.  Important  events  in  Shorthorn  history  since 
1860.  —  In  1869  and  1870,  Messrs.  Walcott  and  Camp- 
bell, of  New  York,  imported  Booth  Shorthorns  and  the 
entire  Sheldon  herd  of  Duchesses  and  Oxfords.  This 
was  the  beginning  of  the  greatest  boom  in  Bates  cattle 
in  the  United  States.  In  1867,  Colonel  W.  S.  King,  of 
Minneapolis,  Minnesota,  founded  his  important  herd  in 
the  northwest.  From  1860  to  1880,  Shorthorns  of  Bates 
families  were  undoubtedly  preeminently  popular  in  the 
United  States.  In  Canada,  however,  Scotch  Shorthorns 
were  gaining  in  popularity. 

The  first  sale  of  cattle  ever  held  in  Dexter  Park,  Chicago, 
was  in  the  year  1872.  These  were  prosperous  times  for 
Shorthorn  breeders.  This  prosperity  extended  into  the 
next  year  and  culminated  in  one  of  the  greatest  if  not  the 
greatest  public  sale  of  pedigreed  cattle  held  in  the  world, 
namely,  the  New  York  Mills  sale  of  Walcott  and  Camp- 
bell, September  10,  1873.  This  herd  contained  the  only 
living  Duchesses  which  were  descended  direct  from  the 
Bates  herd  without  the  admixture  of  blood  from  other 
sources.  The  sale  was  very  largely  attended  by  Short- 
horn fanciers  from  Great  Britain,  Canada  and  the  United 
States.  At  this  sale  the  eighth  Duchess  of  Geneva  brought 
$40,600,  and  many  others  were  sold  at  fabulous  prices. 
Almost  immediately  following  this  sale  there  came  a 
period  of  financial  depression,  and  Shorthorn  cattle 
gradually  decreased  in  value  for  a  few  years. 


212  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

242.  Popularity  of  Scotch  Shorthorns.  —  Undoubtedly 
the  most  notable  feature  of  Shorthorn  history  from  1880 
to  the  present  time  has  been  the  growing  popularity  of 
Scotch  Shorthorns.     Of  all  the  breeders  of  Scotch  Short- 
horns, Amos  Cruickshank  is  looked  on  as  the  most  famous. 
He  was  an  Aberdeenshire  tenant  farmer,  who  thought  that 
Shorthorns  had  been  too  much  pampered  for  practical 
use  on  the  tenant  farms  of  Scotland,  where  climatic  condi- 
tions made  it  necessary  for  the  farmers  to  choose  a  hardy 
race  of  cattle.     He  was  a  lover  of  Shorthorns,  and  de- 
termined to  develop  a  type  that  would  meet  the  require- 
ments of  the  farmers  of  Scotland.     His  ideal  was  a  short- 
legged,  broad,  thick-fleshed  beast,  carrying  a  good  middle ; 
that  is,  a  well-sprung  rib  and  a  thick,  fleshy  back  and 
loin.     He  selected  animals  of  this  type  with  which  to 
found  his  herd,  and  was  so  successful  that  his  herd  soon 
became    recognized    as   the   foremost   one    of   Scotland. 
His  brother,  Anthony,  was  associated  with  him.     Cruick- 
shank got  a  very  strong  hold  on   Shorthorn   breeders, 
that  remains  to  this  day.     To  such  an  extent  is  this  true 
that  one  Shorthorn  may  be  two  to  five  times  more  valu- 
able than  another  of  equal  individual  merit,  simply  be- 
cause it  has  a  good  Scotch  pedigree  and  the  other  has  not. 

Among  those  who  have  helped  to  popularize  Scotch 
Shorthorns  in  America  may  be  mentioned  Colonel  W.  A. 
Harris,  of  Linwood,  Kansas,  J.  J.  Hill,  of  St.  Paul,  Minne- 
sota, and  Colonel  T.  S.  Moberly,  of  Richmond,  Kentucky. 
Many  other  names  might  be  added. 

243.  Description.  —  The  general  form  of  the  Shorthorn 
is  that  of  the  beef  type  (Plate  VI) .     The  breed  is  charac- 
terized by  width  and  depth  of  form,  great  scale  and  sub- 
stance, and  symmetry  and  style.     It  is  the  largest  of  the 
beef  breeds.     The  head  should  be  wide  between  the  eyes, 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  213 

short  from  the  eyes  to  the  nostrils,  and  while  it  should  be 
neat  and  refined,  it  must  indicate  good  feeding  qualities. 
The  horns  are  short  and  rather  fine,  should  curve  grace- 
fully forward,  and  be  waxy  white  in  color,  with  dark 
tips.  A  "spike"  horn  is  objectionable.  The  neck 
should  be  short  and  fine,  and  smoothly  jointed  to  the  head 
and  shoulders.  The 
shoulders  are  rather 
upright,  and  fre- 
quently inclined  to  be 
bare  of  flesh.  The 
back  should  be 
straight,  level  and 
broad,  and  deeply 
covered  with  flesh. 

The  Strong  feature   in  FlG'  35.- A  typical  dual-purpose 

c  bnortnorn  cow. 

the    make-up    of   the 

Shorthorn  is  the  hind-quarter,  which  is  said  to  be  the  best 
of  any  breed.  The  thighs  are  wide,  deep  and  long,  and 
well  filled  down  in  the  twist.  The  line  of  the  back  of 
the  thigh  is  nearly  straight  from  the  tail  down,  giving  a 
characteristic  squarely  built  appearance.  As  a  rule,  the 
body  is  deep,  with  a  good  heart  and  digestive  capacity. 
The  flanks  should  be  well  let  down,  making  a  nearly 
straight  underline.  The  legs  are  medium  length  and  of 
fine  yet  strong  bone.  The  representatives  of  this  breed 
have  a  great  capacity  for  the  production  of  flesh,  and  as 
they  become  fat  there  is  a  tendency  to  produce  patches 
of  fat  about  tail-head  and  rolls  along  the  sides. 

A  criticism  of  the  breed  that  has  been  made  in  the  past 
is  that  Shorthorns  were  too  long  in  the  legs.  There  was 
probably  just  ground  for  this  criticism  in  the  old  type  of 
Shorthorn,  but  since  the  breed  has  received  such  an  in- 


214  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

fusion  of  the  blood  of  the  low-set,  short-legged  Scotch 
type,  this  tendency  has  been  largely  done  away  with. 

The  color  of  the  Shorthorn  is  more  variable  than  that 
of  any  other  breed  of  cattle.  It  may  be  pure  red,  pure 
white,  a  mixture  of  these  two  colors,  or  roan.  Roan  is 
distinctively  a  Shorthorn  color  and  may  always  be  re- 
garded as  an  indication  of  Shorthorn  blood.  Red  and 
white  were  always  characteristic  colors  of  the  old  Short- 
horn breed  in  England,  but  after  their  introduction  into 
the  United  States,  white  became  unpopular,  especially 
on  the  western  ranges,  and  anything  except  a  solid  red 
color  was  greatly  discriminated  against.  The  demand  for 
red  cattle  became  greater  than  the  supply  of  good  individ- 
uals, and  sires  of  very  ordinary  character  were  used  for 
no  other  reason  than  that  they  were  red,  while  excellent 
individuals  of  the  lighter  colors  were  rejected.  Good 
sense  and  sound  judgment  finally  prevailed  in  the  matter, 
and  the  red  color  craze  has  abated  so  that  whites  and  roans 
have  again  come  into  popularity. 

244.  Uses  for  milk.  — -.  The  Shorthorn  ranks  high  in  its 
dairy  capacity.  In  England  there  have  always  been 
families  or  strains,  notably  those  of  Bates  breeding,  which 
have  been  noted  for  their  milking  capacity,  and  in  England 
to-day  the  dairy  qualities  of  the  Shorthorn  receive  as 
much  consideration  as  its  beef-producing  qualities.  It 
is  asserted  that  90  per  cent  of  the  milk-supply  of  London 
is  furnished  by  Shorthorns.  In  America,  more  attention 
has  been  paid  to  the  beef  side  of  the  question,  and  the  dairy 
qualities  have  been  somewhat  neglected,  especially  during 
the  past  craze  for  the  thick-fleshed,  blocky  Scotch  type, 
which  were  poor  milkers.  At  present,  however,  more 
attention  is  being  paid  to  the  milking  qualities  in  an  effort 
to  develop  milking  strains  of  Shorthorns  (Plate  VII). 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  21 5 

Major  Henry  E.  Alvord,  in  Farmers'  Bulletin  No.  106, 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture,  gives  some  per- 
formances of  Shorthorn  herds  and  individuals  as  follows : 
"  Records  of  several  dairy  herds  in  the  United  States, 
within  a.  quarter  of  a  century,  show  a  milking  season  of 
about  275  days  and  an  average  product  of  6500  pounds  of 
milk.  One  herd  of  ten  cows,  three  to  twelve  years  old, 
averaged  7750  pounds  in  a  year.  Single  cows  have 
averaged  much  more,  several  instances  being  known  of 
10,000  to  12,000  pounds  in  a  season.  The  Shorthorn 
milk  is  of  good  quality,  rather  above  the  average;  the 
fat  globules  are  of  medium  and  fairly  uniform  size,  so  that 
cream  separates  easily;  it  is  rather  pale  in  color.  In 
1824,  a  cow  near  Philadelphia  made  over  twenty  pounds 
of  butter  in  a  week  without  special  feeding.  Herds  of 
forty  cows  have  averaged  209  pounds  of  butter  in  a  year ; 
the  herd  of  ten  cows  mentioned  above  averaged  325 
pounds,  and  single  cows  have  records  of  400  pounds  and 
over,  one  being  of  513  pounds." 

245.  Use  for  butter  and  cheese.  —  The  Shorthorns 
made  a  very  creditable  showing  in  the  butter  tests 
against  the  dairy  breeds,  the  Jerseys  and  Guernseys,  at 
the  World's  Columbia  Exposition  at  Chicago,  in  1893. 
In  the  ninety-day  butter  test,  the  best  Shorthorn  cow, 
Nora,  produced  3679.8  pounds  of  milk,  from  which  was 
made  160.57  pounds  of  butter,  and  during  the  period  she 
gained  115  pounds  in  weight.  The  best  Jersey,  Brown 
Bessie,  produced  3634  pounds  of  milk,  from  which  was 
made  216.66  pounds  of  butter,  and  gained  81  pounds. 
In  this  test  the  showing  made  by  the  Shorthorn  was 
very  good,  considering  the  fact  that  not  nearly  so  much 
care  and  money  were  spent  in  selecting  the  herd  as  was 
done  with  the  Jerseys  and  Guernseys. 


216  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

At  the  same  time,  the  Shorthorn  made  a  like  creditable 
showing  in  a  14-day  cheese-making  test.  In  this,  the 
Shorthorn  ranked  third  against  the  Jersey  and  Guernsey, 
yielding  12186.9  pounds  of  milk,  which  made  1077.6 
pounds  of  cheese.  Nora,  a  Shorthorn,  ran  second  to  a 
Jersey,  making  60.56  pounds  of  cheese  at  a  net  profit 
of  S6.27. 

246.  Use  for  beef.  —  For  the  production  of  beef,  the 
Shorthorn  stands  second  to  no  breed,  and  there  are  very 
few  that  equal  it.     Its  popularity  as  a  beef  breed  both  in 
England  and  the  United  States  is  shown  by  the  number  of 
its  representatives  found  at  the  leading  fat-stock  shows 
of  these  two  countries.     The  Shorthorn  is  naturally  thick- 
fleshed,  with  a  maximum  development  of  the  valuable 
parts  of  the  carcass,  which  causes  it  to  dress  out  a  high 
percentage  of  carcass  to  live  weight,  although  it  is  not  so 
good  in  this  respect  as  the  Aberdeen-Angus.     The  Short- 
horn is  a  good  feeder,  and,  when  supplied  with  an  abun- 
dance of  food,  makes  large  gains,  yielding  good  returns  for 
the  food  consumed.     The  breed  matures  early  and  can 
be  made  ready  for  the  block  at  two  to  two  and  one-half 
years  of  age ;  but,  if  so  desired,  it  will  stand  a  longer  period 
of  feeding.     When  forced  for  a  long  time,  there  is  a  tend- 
ency to  take  on  flesh  unevenly,  with  the  fat  in  patches  or 
rolls  on  the  rump  and  along  the  sides. 

247.  Use  for  crossing  and  grading.  —  No  other  breed 
has  been  used  for  grading  up  common  cattle  to  the  ex- 
tent that  the  Shorthorn  has,  and  marked  improvement 
has  resulted  wherever  this  method  of  grading  has  been 
followed,  as  may  be  seen  by  noting  the    improvement 
that  has  followed  the  use  of  Shorthorn  bulls  on  our  western 
ranges.     In  our  American  cattle  markets,  grade  Short- 
horns predominate   over  all   other   breeds   in   numbers. 


THE  BEEF  BEEEDS  OF  CATTLE  217 

The  first  cross  of  a  Shorthorn  on  any  of  the  beef  breeds 
makes  a  good  beef  animal.  The  "  prime  Scots,"  which 
are  so  popular  in  the  English  markets,  are  crosses  of 
the  Shorthorn  and  Aberdeen-Angus.  The  "  blue-gray  " 
steers,  which  are  also  highly  prized  in  the  British  markets, 
are  crosses  of  the  light-colored  Shorthorns  on  the  Gallo- 
way. 

248.  Distribution.  —  The  Shorthorn  is  the  most  widely 
distributed  breed  of  cattle.  It  is  found  in  Europe,  es- 
pecially in  Great  Britain,  in  Asia,  South  Africa,  Australia, 
North  and  South  America.  It  is  the  most  popular  and 
most  widely  distributed  beef  breed  of  cattle  in  the  United 
States  and  Canada,  and  is  found  in  every  state  and 
province  in  these  two  countries.  In  the  United  States, 
Shorthorns  are  found  most  numerously  in  the  following 
states,  in  order  of  their  importance :  Iowa,  Missouri, 
Illinois,  Ohio,  Indiana,  Kansas,  Nebraska,  Minnesota, 
Michigan.  They  are  still  growing  in  popularity. 

One  feature  which  adds  greatly  to  the  popularity  of 
the  Shorthorns  is  their  great  adaptability.  They  have 
the  power  to  adapt  themselves  to  varying  conditions  of 
food,  climate  and  treatment.  Although  they  are  best 
adapted  to  temperate  regions,  they  readily  adjust  them- 
selves to  greater  extremes  of  temperature  and  climate. 
They  possess  a  fair  degree  of  hardiness,  and  do  fairly  well 
under  range  conditions.  The  Shorthorn  was  the  first 
breed  used  for  the  improvement  of  the  cattle  on  the  ranges, 
and  has  been  used  extensively  for  this  purpose  in  the 
United  States,  Argentina  and  Australia,  but  in  recent  years 
has  been  largely  supplanted  by  the  Hereford.  Notwith- 
standing its  value  on  the  range,  the  Shorthorn  is  best 
adapted  to  a  system  of  mixed  farming,  such  as  is  followed 
in  the  Mississippi  valley,  where  land  is  so  valuable  that  a 


218  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

cow  cannot  be  kept  for  the  calf  alone,  but  must  yield  a 
profit  in  the  dairy.  George  M.  Rommel,  in  Bulletin  No. 
34,  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture,  states  that,  of  the  150,000  registered 
Shorthorns  estimated  to  be  living  in  America,  5  per  cent 
are  found  on  the  range,  and  the  other  95  per  cent  are  in 
the  hands  of  the  small  farmer. 

249.  Organizations  and  records.  —  In  1822,  George 
Coates,  of  Yorkshire,  England,  published  the  Shorthorn 
Herd-book,  the  first  registry  of  live-stock  to  be  issued. 
From  this  developed  the  English  Shorthorn  Herd-book 
(Coates'  Herd-book),  of  which  fifty  volumes  have  now  been 
published.  Since  1876,  it  has  been  in  the  hands  of  the 
Shorthorn  Society  of  the  United  Kingdom  of  Great 
Britain  and  Ireland. 

The  work  of  recording  Shorthorns  in  America  was 
first  taken  up  by  Lewis  F.  Allen,  of  Black  Rock,  New  York, 
who  published  the  first  volume  of  the  American  Short- 
horn Herd-book  in  1846.  Allen  continued  this  publica- 
tion, as  a  private  enterprise  until  1882,  when  it  was  pur- 
chased by  the  American  Shorthorn  Breeders'  Association. 
In  1869,  A.  J.  Alexander,  of  Woodburn,  Kentucky, 
published  the  first  volume  of  a  herd-book  known  as  the 
American  Shorthorn  Record.  In  1878,  the  Ohio  Short- 
horn Breeders'  Association  published  the  first  volume  of 
the  Ohio  Shorthorn  Record,  two  more  volumes  of  which 
were  published  later. 

The  registration  of  Shorthorns  in  the  United  States 
at  present  is  conducted  entirely  by  the  American  Short- 
horn Breeders'  Association,  organized  in  1882.  This 
association  purchased  the  interests  of  all  the  Shorthorn 
herd-books  in  the  United  States,  and  continued  the  pub- 
lication, beginning  with  Volume  25  of  the  American 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  219 

Shorthorn  Herd-book  started  by  Lewis  F.  Allen.  Eighty- 
five  volumes  of  this  herd-book  have  been  published,  and 
Volumes  86  and  87  are  now  in  preparation,  two  volumes 
being  published  annually.  There  have  been  registered 
425,000  males  and  620,000  females,  making  a  total  of 
1,045,000. 

The  first  Shorthorn  herd-book  in  Canada  was  the  Cana- 
dian Shorthorn  Herd-book,  the  first  volume  of  which  was 
published  in  1867.  In  1881,  the  first  volume  of  the 
British-American  Shorthorn  Herd-book  was  published, 
and  the  first  volume  of  the  Dominion  Herd-book  appeared 
in  1887.  The  latter  took  over  the  interests  and  records 
of  the  first  two  herd-books,  and  now  the  registration  of 
Shorthorns  in  Canada  is  through  the  Dominion  Herd- 
book. 

POLLED  DURHAM  CATTLE 
By  Herbert  W.  Mumford 

250.  Polled  Durhams,  as  a  breed,  have  the  unique  dis- 
tinction of  being  the  only  breed  of  cattle  originating  in 
the  United  States.     They  are  very  similar  to  the  Short- 
horn, and,  in  fact,  the  Shorthorn  is  chiefly   responsible 
for  their  origin. 

251.  Breeders  of  note.  —  Among  the  early  breeders 
interested  in  the   development  of  the   Polled   Durham 
breed  the  following  were  most  prominent :    William  W. 
Crane,  Tippecanoe   City,  Ohio;    W.  S.  Miller,   Elmore, 
Ohio;    J.  F.  and  A.  E.  Burleigh,  Mazon,  Illinois;    and 
Shafor  and  Clawson,  Hamilton,  Ohio. 

252.  Description.  —  Like    the    Shorthorn,   the   Polled 
Durham  is  massive  in  size,  quiet  in  disposition,  and  a 
breed  well  calculated  to  meet  the  requirements  of  farmers 


220  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

wanting  a  hornless  race  of  dual-purpose  cattle.  They 
are,  however,  better  fitted  to  give  satisfaction  as  beef- 
producers  than  in  the  dairy.  During  the  early  history 
of  the  breed  much  attention  was  paid  to  color  and  milking 
qualities.  Red  was  preferred,  but  in  later  years  roans 
have  come  to  be  looked  on  with  more  favor.  With  the 
increase  in  numbers  comes  the  opportunity  to  make  more 
careful  selections,  and  the  breed  is  making  rapid  advance- 
ment both  in  real  merit  and  public  esteem.  It  possesses 
considerable  prepotency. 

Nearly  all  Polled  Durhams  that  are  being  recorded 
at  the  present  time  are  pure  Shorthorn  in  blood,  and 
breeders  are  striving  to  produce,  as  nearly  as  possible, 
the  ideal  Shorthorn,  minus  the  horns.  Polled  Durhams 
are  judged  by  the  same  standards  as  are  Shorthorns, 
and  in  nearly  all  large  shows  Polled  Durhams  are  judged 
by  a  Shorthorn  breeder. 

253.  Standards.  —  There  are  two  somewhat  distinct 
lines  of  blood  to  be  found  among  Polled  Durhams.  These 
are  designated  as  Double-Standard  and  Single-Standard 
Polled  Durhams. 

Double-Standard  Polled  Durhams  include  the  hornless 
Shorthorns  that  are  eligible  for  record  in  the  American 
Shorthorn  Herd-book,  as  well  as  the  American  Polled 
Durham  Herd-book.  They  are  the  result  of  retaining,  as 
breeding  animals,  hornless  Shorthorns,  which  occasion- 
ally appear  as  freaks  in  Shorthorn  herds.1  The  most  of 
the  Double-Standard  Polled  Durhams  are  from  the  three 
families,  White  Rose,  Young  Phyllis  and  Gwynne. 

Single-Standard  Polled  Durhams  are  eligible  for  record 
in  the  Polled  Durham  record  only.  This  branch  of  Polled 

1  It  is  now  known  that  the  horned  and  polled  characters  are  Mendelian, 
recessive  and  dominant  respectively. 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  221 

Durhams  originated  by  the  attempts  on  the  part  of  a 
number  of  breeders,  working,  at  first  independently  for 
the  most  part,  to  develop  a  race  of  hornless  cattle  with 
the  characteristics  of  the  Shorthorn  breed.  This  was 
accomplished  by  the  use  of  Shorthorn  bulls  on  the  native 
muley  cows. 

254.  Distribution.  —  Herds    of    Polled    Durhams    are 
more    numerous   in   Indiana,    Iowa,    Ohio    and    Illinois 
than  in  other  states,  although  they  are  being    introduced 
rather    extensively  into  other  sections  of    the  country, 
notably  in  North  Dakota,  Kansas,  Kentucky,  Wisconsin, 
Texas   and   Nebraska.     Several   have   been   shipped   to 
Argentina,  in  South  America. 

255.  Organizations     and     records.  —  The     American 
Polled  Durham  Breeders'  Association,  which  has  for  its 
object  the  furthering  of  the  interests  of  the  breed,  and  the 
recording  of  animals  eligible  to  its  herd-book,  was  organized 
in  Chicago,  November  13, 1889,  and  was  chartered  Novem- 
ber 2,  1890.     Six  volumes  of  the  American  Polled  Durham 
Herd-book  have  been  published,  the  first  having  appeared 
in  1894 ;  over  27,000  animals  have  been  registered.     "  Ani- 
mals to  be  eligible  to  entry  in  the  American  Polled  Durham 
Herd-book  must  be  at  least  six  months  old;    must   be 
naturally  hornless;    must  have   both    parents  recorded 
therein  or  have  one  parent  recorded  in  the  book  and  the 
other  parent  recorded  in  the  American  Short-horn  Herd- 
book  ;  and  further,  must  have  all  ancestry  that  are  eligible 
recorded  in  the  American  Polled  Durham  Herd-book." 

Literature.  —  A.  H.  Sanders,  Shorthorn  Cattle,  Sanders  Pub- 
lishing Company,  Chicago;  Lewis  F.  Allen,  History  of  Shorthorn 
Cattle;  C.  J.  Bates,  Thomas  Bates  and  the  Kirklevington  Short- 
horns, London  (1897);  W.  H.  Beaver,  An  Arithmetical  Arrange- 
ment of  the  Leading  Shorthorn  Tribes;  Thomas  Bell,  History  of 


222  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Improved  Shorthorn-Durham  Cattle  (1871) ;  William  Housman, 
The  Improved  Shorthorn,  London  (1876) ;  Plumb,  Little  Sketches 
of  Famous  Beef  Cattle,  Columbus,  Ohio  (1904) ;  herd-books  of  the 
various  Shorthorn  associations. 


HEREFORD  CATTLE.    Plate  VIII.    Figs.  36,  37. 
By  Charles  Gudgell 

256.  The  Hereford  is  a  breed  of  cattle  raised  for  the 
production  of  beef. 

257.  History   in   England.  —  The   Hereford   breed   of 
cattle  originated  in  the  southwestern  part  of  England,  in 
a  district  the  center  of  which  is  the  county  of  Hereford. 
It  doubtless  had  its  foundation  in  the  native  cattle  of 
that  district  in  the  same  way  that  the  other  English  breeds 
of  domestic  cattle  had  their  origin.     The  name  Hereford 
was  at  first  used  to  designate  the  cattle  generally  of  that 
district.    These  cattle  were  historically  mentioned  at  a 
very  early  date  (1627),  as  possessed  of  remarkably  easy- 
keeping  and  fattening  qualities.     Later  the  term  Hereford 
came  to  be  used  to  designate  the  improved  and  pedigreed 
cattle  that  had  been  developed  into  a  race  with  well- 
established  breed  characteristics  that  were  reliably  trans- 
mitted.    Many  of  the  early  breeders  had  different  objects 
or  ideals  in  breeding,  with  the  result  that  the  Hereford 
cattle  of  that  day  had  a  great  diversity  of  color  as  well  as 
of  physical  features. 

The  colors  that  predominated  among  Hereford  cattle 
at  the  time  of  the  preparation  of  the  first  volume  of  the 
herd-book  (about  1845)  were  varying  shades  of  red  on 
the  body  with  white  face,  and  the  same  with  mottled  or 
spotted  face,  and  also  varying  degrees  of  roan  or  gray,  as 
it  was  called,  on  the  sides  of  the  animal,  with  all  the 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE       223 

other  parts  white.  In  the  establishment  of  the  im- 
proved and  pedigreed  Herefords,  different  breeders  man- 
ifested a  preference  for  animals  of  one  or  the  other  of 
these  markings,  and  each  zealously  maintained  the  same 
during  his  breeding  operations.  The  result  of  this  was 
that,  about  1845,  there  were  several  different  strains  of 
Hereford  cattle  that  were  distinguished  mainly  by  their 
color  markings,  and  were  designated  by  the  name  of  some 
prominent  breeder,  who  had  originated  or  was  closely 
connected  with  the  development  of  this  particular  strain. 
Subsequent  breeders  very  wisely  interbred  these  different 
strains  or  families,  with  the  result  that  in  a  few  years  the 
breed  became  of  a  uniform  color  and  markings,  as  at  the 
present  day. 

The  Hereford  is  among  the  oldest,  if  not  the  oldest  es- 
tablished of  the  English  breeds  of  domestic  cattle.  Some 
of  its  early  improvers  were  contemporary,  and  some  ante- 
cedent to  the  operations  of  Bakewell,  who  began  his  great 
work  as  a  scientific  breeder  about  1755.  As  an  evidence 
of  the  importance  and  advancement  of  the  Hereford  in 
production  of  beef  at  an  early  date,  it  may  be  cited  that 
the  prize  for  the  champion  steer  over  all-breeds  at  the  first 
show  of  the  Smithfield  Club  held  at  London  in  1799  was 
won  by  a  Hereford  steer,  and  the  same  for  several  subse- 
quent years.  At  a  dispersion  sale  by  auction  of  the  breed- 
ing herd  of  one  of  the  early  improvers  of  the  Hereford,  held 
in  1819,  the  average  of  the  sale  was  about  $750  a  head. 

258.  History  in  America.  —  Importations  of  a  few  head 
of  Herefords  were  made  to  America  in  1817,  1824  and 
1840.  The  first  two  of  these  importations  were  unfortu- 
nate in  that  in  one  case  the  bull  died,  and  in  the  other  the 
cow  died.  The  difficulties  and  risks  attending  the  making 
of  importations  of  cattle  at  that  time  were  so  great  that 


224  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

no  attempt  was  made  to  keep  up  the  race,  and  the  result 
was  that  they  became  merged  into  other  stocks  and  dis- 
appeared. The  importation  of  1840  was  somewhat  larger 
and  more  successful  in  that  the  cattle  were  maintained 
in  their  purity  and  pedigree  records  were  kept.  The 
descendants  of  this  importation  have  continued  to  the 
present  day  and  are  registered  in  the  American  Hereford 
Record. 

It  was  not  until  the  Centennial  Exposition  at  Phila- 
delphia, in  1876,  that  the  cattle-growers  of  the  western 
part  of  the  United  States  were  attracted  to  the  visible 
merits  of  this  breed  of  cattle.  A  very  attractive  herd  of 
the  descendants  of  later  importations  was  on  exhibition 
on  this  occasion.  To  nearly  all  of  the  cattle-men  of  the 
West  the  Hereford  was  an  unheard-of  breed,  and  their  uni- 
formity, color  and  markings,  together  with  their  beef- 
carrying  qualities,  were  revelations  to  them.  As  the 
cattle-growing  interests  were  at  that  time  assuming 
enormous  proportions  in  the  country  west  of  the  Missouri 
river,  these  visiting  cattle-men  were  the  more  easily  pre- 
vailed on  to  give  the  Herefords  a  trial  under  their  system 
of  production. 

In  the  few  succeeding  years  all  the  bulls  obtainable 
of  this  breed  were  bought  and  shipped  to  different  parts 
of  the  range  country  from  Wyoming  to  Texas.  It  was 
then  developed  that  the  Hereford  bull,  when  bred  to  range- 
bred  cows,  transmitted  to  his  progeny  his  breed  characteris- 
tics to  a  great  degree,  and  ranchmen  proceeded  at  once  to 
make  arrangements  to  introduce  Hereford  bulls  into  their 
herds.  The  popularity  of  the  breed  steadily  grew  and 
spread  throughout  the  cattle-growing  sections,  and  it  soon 
became  evident  that  they  were  impressing  their  characters 
on  the  improved  range  stock.  This  wave  of  popularity 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  225 

has  not  been  confined  to  the  cattle-growers  of  the  United 
States,  but  has  overflowed  the  borders  into  Mexico  and 
Canada  and  now  bids  fair  to  leave  a  similar  impress  on 
the  beef-producing  herds  of  those  countries. 

259.  Merits  of  Herefords. — For  some  years  the  appre- 
ciation of  the  Herefords  was  based  mainly  on  their  ability  to 
withstand  hardships  and  produce  beef  on  grass  and  under 
the  rigorous  conditions  of  the  range.  Later,  when  the  con- 
ditions on  the  ranges  had  changed  somewhat,  the  range- 
raised  grade  Hereford  steers  found  their  way  into  the  feed- 
lots  of  the  corn-growing  states,  where  they  gave  an  even 
better  account  of  themselves  in  the  matter  of  quick-feeding, 
economy  of  production,  and  quality  of  product  when 
finished,  than  they  did  on  the  ranges.  At  first  only  steers 
two  years  old  and  over  were  admitted  to  the  feed-lots, 
but  later  high-grade  steer  calves  of  this  breed  were  taken 
directly  from  the  range  into  the  feed-lots.  This  opened  up 
a  new  field  in  the  production  of  high-class  beef.  The 
experiments  in  full-feeding  high-grade  calves  were  so 
satisfactory  that  a  great  demand  for  this  class  of  feeding 
cattle  has  resulted.  The  calves  are  taken  from  their 
mothers  on  the  range  at  weaning  age  in  the  fall  and  are 
shipped  directly  to  the  feed-lots,  where  they  are  full-fed 
and  grazed  for  about  twelve  months.  Then,  as  yearlings, 
they  go  to  market  weighing  1000  to  1200  pounds,  where 
they  are  known  as  "  baby  beef,"  a  product  that  is  not 
produced  so  successfully  and  profitably  from  the  grades 
of  any  other  breed  of  cattle  as  from  the  Hereford. 

At  the  time  that  Hereford  bulls  were  introduced  on 
the  ranches,  herds  of  pure-bred  Herefords  in  America 
were  few  in  number  and  small  in  size,  so  that  they  were 
unable  more  than  partially  to  supply  this  demand,  with 
the  result  that  Hereford  bulls  were  high  in  price.  This 


226  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

awakened  a  lively  interest  in  the  breed,  such  as  had  not 
been  experienced,  and  a  number  of  new  herds  were  estab- 
lished. To  supply  the  demand  for  bulls,  importations 
of  breeding  herds  were  made  from  England  in  such  num- 
bers and  in  such  rapid  succession  in  the  years  1880  to 
1886,  that  it  looked  as  though  the  registered  stock  which 
was  limited  to  the  place  of  their  origin,  would  become 
exhausted.  During  this  period  several  thousand  head 
were  imported  and  many  new  herds  were  established, 
mainly  in  the  cattle-feeding  states.  Herefords  were 
exhibited  at  all  the  leading  fairs.  A  fat-stock  show  was 
inaugurated  at  Chicago  in  1879,  and  a  few  years  later 
another  at  Kansas  City,  Missouri.  Steers  were  secured 
from  the  available  supply  and  exhibited  with  remarkable 
success.  While  the  Herefords  were  able  to  secure  a 
goodly  share  of  the  prizes  in  the  older  classes  and  in  the 
champion  rings  at  these  fat-stock  shows,  yet  it  was  soon 
observed  that  they  were  nearly  always  successful  in  the 
younger  classes. 

Owing  to  the  shortness  of  the  legs,  and  general  roundness 
of  body  of  the  Herefords,  they  are  frequently  misjudged 
as  to  their  weight,  and  are  generally  thought  to  be 
smaller  in  size  than  some  of  the  other  beef  breeds  of  cattle. 
A  comparison  of  the  official  weights  of  the  prize-winners 
in  the  classes  for  Herefords  and  Shorthorns  at  the  now 
American  Royal  Live-Stock  Show  at  Kansas  City,  Mis- 
souri, showed  practically  no  difference  in  the  average 
weights  of  the  prize-winners  in  the  classes  for  bulls  and 
cows  two  years  old  and  over.  But  in  the  classes  for  calves 
and  yearlings,  the  average  weights  were  always  decidedly 
in  favor  of  the  Herefords. 

Although  in  the  importations  of  breeding  Herefords 
that  were  made  in  the  year  1880  to  1886,  all  the  animals 


PLATE  VIII.  —  Breed  Types  of  Cattle. 


HEAD  OF  HEREFORD  BULL. 


HEAD  OF  ABERDEEN- ANGUS  BULL. 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  227 

imported  were  not  high-class  specimens,  there  were  among 
them  many  of  the  very  best  cattle  both  individually  and 
in  breeding  to  be  had  in  England.  From  individuals  of 
these  importations  have  been  developed  families  or  strains 
that  have  become  very  popular.  On  the  foundation  of 
these  importations  the  American  breeder  has  made  a  very 
great  improvement  in  the  conformation  of  the  Hereford. 

260.  Description.  —  The  most  distinctive  feature  of 
the  Hereford  to  the  ordinary  observer  is  his  color  markings, 
or  the  distribution  over  the  body  of  the  red  and  white 
colors.  The  head,  including  jaws  and  throat,  is  white, 
with  white  under  the  neck,  down  the  breast,  under  the 
belly  and  more  or  less  on  the  legs.  The  bush  of  the  tail 
is  also  white,  and  there  is  a  white  strip  on  the  top  of  the 
neck  from  about  the  middle  thereof  to  the  top  of  the  shoul- 
ders. The  body,  sides  of  the  neck,  and  usually  some  parts 
of  the  legs,  are  red.  The  red  in  different  animals  varies 
from  very  light  or  yellow-red,  as  it  is  termed,  to  very  dark 
red.  An  animal  is  classed  in  point  of  color  as  a  light  red, 
a  medium  red  or  a  dark  red.  The  foregoing  is  the  popu- 
lar distribution  of  the  colors  of  the  Hereford,  yet  there  is 
sometimes  a  considerable  variation  therefrom  in  different 
animals.  While  as  a  breed  of  cattle  they  are  very  uniform 
in  conformation  and  color  markings,  yet  they  do  not  by 
any  means  have  the  same  degree  of  uniformity  as  the 
self-colored  undomesticated  animals. 

The  head  of  the  Hereford  (Plate  VIII)  is  short,  with 
broad  forehead ;  the  eyes  are  full  and  not  sunken ;  the 
horns  are  usually  rather  strong  and  of  a  whitish  yellow 
color,  free  from  black  tips,  in  the  best  types,  and  come 
forward  with  a  more  or  less  drooping  tendency ;  the 
neck  is  short  and  thick,  merging  smoothly  into  the 
shoulders,  free  from  surplus  skin  in  the  under  parts; 


228  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

the  hide  is  heavy,  loose  and  very  pliable,  and  covered 
with  a  dense,  soft  coat  of  hair.  The  body  of  a  well- 
fattened  Hereford  should  be  free  from  any  paunchiness. 
The  breast  should  be  broad  and  full,  but  free  from 
loose  dewlap,  the  shoulders  smoothly  laid  and  broad  on 
top,  but  not  too  open  between  the  blades.  The  crops 
should  be  wide,  the  ribs  well  sprung  and  extending  well 
backward,  the  loin  broad  and  of  good  length,  the  hook 
bones  by  no  means  prominent,  but  down  within  the  lines 
of  the  ribs,  the  tail-head  on  a  line  with  the  level  of  the  back, 

and  the  rump-bones 
wide  apart  and  well 
up,  so  as  not  to 
present  a  drooping 
appearance.  The  legs 
should  be  short, 
straight,  strong  in 
bone  and  set  well 

FIG.  36.-  Hereford  bull.  aPai>t'        The     line     °f 

the  back  should  be 
practically  straight  and  level  from  top  of  shoulders  to  the 
tail-head.  The  quarters  should  be  full  and  well  rounded, 
and  the  outlines  of  the  animal,  when  viewed  from  the  side, 
should  present  a  somewhat  box-like  appearance,  and  from 
the  end  more  that  of  a  barrel  (Figs.  36,  37). 

The  Hereford  has  great  length  and  thickness  of  loin,  and 
all  the  bones  of  his  frame  are  so  well  covered  that  they  can 
scarcely  be  felt  through  the  thick  covering  of  flesh.  Along 
his  back  from  shoulder  to  rump  his  spine  is  so  deeply 
buried  in  flesh  that  the  vertebrae  are  not  perceptible  to 
the  touch  except  at  the  small  indentations,  commonly 
called  ties,  near  the  middle  of  the  back.  These  ties, 
usually  one  to  three  in  number,  are  the  attachments  of 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  229 

the  skin  to  a  few  of  the  forward  lumbar  vertebrae,  and  are 
common  to  all  cattle.  The  indentations  are  caused  by  the 
uplifting  of  the  skin  surrounding  the  tie  by  a  great 
deposit  of  flesh  along  the  spinal  column.  When  of  a 
pronounced  character,  these  ties  are  not  looked  on  with 
much  favor  by  the  breeders  of  fancy  Herefords,  as  they 
detract  somewhat  from  the  smooth,  rounded  appearance 
of  the  body,  although  they  are  a  very  reliable  indication 
of  the  great  depth  of  flesh  that  covers  the  frame  of  the 
animal.  Breeders  sometimes  loosen  these  ties  in  animals 
they  are  fitting  for 
exhibition  by  a  slight 
surgical  operation, 
that  is  not  very  diffi- 
cult of  execution, 
whereby  the  depres- 
sion in  the  skin  dis- 
appears and  leaves  the 
back  perfectly  smooth 

and  even.  FIG.  37.  -  Hereford  cow. 

The  coat  of  hair  of  the  Hereford  is  regarded  by  the 
breeders  as  a  feature  of  much  importance.  The  preference 
is  that  it  should  be  long,  soft  and  curly,  as  indicative  of  a 
certain  degree  of  quality  in  the  animal.  Such  coats  are 
regarded  as  furnishing  some  protection  against  cold  in 
winter  and,  in  some  animals,  a  protection  against  flies 
in  summer.  At  the  great  fairs  and  other  shows,  much 
care  is  taken  by  the  Hereford  exhibitors  to  have  the  coats 
of  their  animals  properly  cleaned  and  manipulated,  so 
as  to  present  a  curly  appearance  and  set  off  the  form  of 
the  animal  to  the  best  advantage. 

The  most  valuable  characteristic  of  the  Hereford  is  his 
disposition  to  accumulate  flesh  at  all  ages.  The  Hereford 


230  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

is  almost  universally  credited  with  being  a  superior  rustler 
under  range  conditions.  His  ability  to  withstand  rigor- 
ous conditions  is  due  mostly  to  his  capacity  and  diligence 
in  laying  up  stores  of  flesh  during  the  season  of  plenty  on 
which  he  may  draw  in  a  season  of  want.  The  superior 
fleshing  disposition  of  the  Hereford  has  been  demonstrated 
many  times  in  the  feed-lots  of  the  corn-belt,  where  large 
numbers  of  the  grades  of  all  breeds  are  collected  and  fed 
for  market  under  like  conditions,  and  the  Herefords  are 
the  first  to  be  shipped  to  the  market. 

261.  Uses.  —  This   breed   makes   no   claim   to   milk- 
production,  and  no  efforts  have  been  made  in  America  to 
develop  this  faculty. 

Hereford  cattle  are  primarily  beef  animals,  and  in  this 
capacity  they  stand  in  the  first  rank.  They  are  especially 
valuable  for  the  production  of  "  baby  beef."  In  the 
matter  of  early  maturity,  they  are  unexcelled. 

262.  Feeding.  —  The  strong  point  with  the  Hereford  in 
the  production  of  beef  is  his  ability  to  grow  and  develop 
on  grass  alone.     He  was  developed  in  a  great  grazing 
district,  and  his  first  reputation  was  based  on  his  capacity 
for  converting  grass  into  beef.     While  he  surpasses  other 
breeds  as  a  grazier,  he  is  equally  prominent  in  the  feed-lot. 
All  cattle  feeds  are  acceptable  to  him,  and  he  responds 
as  promptly  as  any  to  a  ration  of  grain. 

263.  Distribution.  —  The  Hereford  has  been  introduced 
and  used  extensively  in  most  parts  of  the  world  where 
attempts  have  been  made  to  improve  the  cattle  grown 
mainly  for  beef  purposes.     They  were  in  use  in  consider- 
able numbers  in  Australia  and  New  Zealand  some  years 
before  they  were  brought  to  America  to  any  extent.     Large 
herds  of  registered  Herefords  are  now  established  in  these 
countries,  and  a  herd-book  society  has  been  organized  that 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  231 

publishes  a  registry  for  the  breed  in  that  section.  Some 
years  ago  an  importation  of  Herefords  was  made  from  Aus- 
tralia to  California  for  the  foundation  of  a  herd  in  that 
state.  The  Herefords  have  been  taken  to  several  of  the 
South  American  countries,  mainly  to  Argentina  and 
Uruguay. 

In  recent  years  some  Herefords  have  been  taken  to 
Cuba  and  Porto  Rico,  to  some  of  the  Central  American 
states  and  to  the  Sandwich  islands,  where  they  are  re- 
ported as  doing  extremely  well.  The  breed  is  preemi- 
nently adapted  to  the  range,  with  its  vicissitudes  of  cold 
and  scant  vegetation.  For  this  reason,  in  the  United 
States  they  are  found  mainly  west  of  the  Mississippi, 
although  herds  are  maintained  in  New  England.  It 
has  already  been  said  that  the  breed  has  made  its  way  into 
Canada  and  Mexico. 

264.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  first  organiza- 
tion of  the  breeders  of  Hereford  cattle  in  America  was 
the  Breeders'  Live-Stock  Association,  organized  in  1878, 
at  Beecher,  Illinois.  It  undertook  the  publication  of  a 
monthly  periodical  called  the  Breeders'  Journal,  which 
was  devoted  mainly  to  presenting  the  merits  of  Hereford 
cattle.  At  the  same  time  it  inaugurated  a  herd-book  — 
the  American  Hereford  Record,  of  which  Volume  I  ap- 
peared in  1880,  and  Volume  II  in  1882.  In  1883,  it  dis- 
banded, having  sold  its  interest  in  this  Record  to  the 
American  Hereford  Cattle  Breeders'  Association,  which 
was  organized  at  Chicago,  in  June,  1881,  and  was  incor- 
porated under  the  laws  of  Illinois  in  1883.  At  the  second 
meeting  of  this  Association,  in  November,  1881,  the  total 
enrollment  of  breeders  as  members  numbered  thirty-four. 
In  1883,  it  purchased  the  copyright  and  unsold  copies 
of  Volumes  I  and  II  of  the  American  Hereford  Record. 


232  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

It  continued  the  publication  of  the  herd-books,  and  forty 
volumes  have  been  published  to  date.  There  are  now 
over  6300  members  in  the  Association. 

The  entry  numbers  in  the  American  Hereford  Record 
at  the  time  of  its  purchase  by  its  present  owners  were  a 
little  over  6000.  These  numbers  were  assigned  to  both 
male  and  females  entries,  and  were  very  largely  of  ancestors 
of  cattle  owned  in  America.  At  the  present  time  the 
number  of  entries  is  over  500,000.  The  rules  do  not 
require  an  entry  to  be  made  until  the  animal  is  nearly 
two  years  old,  although  the  application  for  entrance  must 
be  filed  with  the  office  before  the  animal  is  six  months  old. 
The  office  of  the  American  Hereford  Cattle  Breeders' 
Association  is  in  Kansas  City,  Missouri. 

The  Hereford  Herd-book  of  England  appeared  in  1846. 
The  Hereford  Herd-book  Society  of  England  was  or- 
ganized in  1878,  since  which  time  it  has  been  responsible 
for  the  publication  of  the  herd-book.  A  herd-book 
society  has  been  organized  and  a  registry  published  for 
the  Hereford  breeders  of  Australia  and  New  Zealand. 
Herd-books  have  also  been  established  for  the  breed  in 
Argentina  and  Uruguay. 

265.  Double-Standard  Polled  Herefords.  —  Since  the 
introduction  into  the  United  States  of  the  polled  breeds 
of  cattle  from  Scotland,  the  hornless  feature  in  cattle 
has  found  favor  with  some  of  the  breeders  and  admirers 
of  the  Hereford.  The  fact  that  Hereford  feeding  steers 
that  have  been  artificially  made  polled  or  dehorned  are  so 
much  preferred  in  the  feed-lots  to  those  that  are  horned 
has  led  a  few  breeders  to  undertake  to  establish  a  strain 
of  registered  Herefords  that  are  naturally  polled  or  hornless. 
This  has  been  accomplished  in  the  case  of  the  Shorthorn 
breed  of  cattle,  and  is  in  a  fair  way  to  be  realized  in  the 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  233 

Hereford.  However  desirable  the  hornless  feature  may 
or  may  not  be  (there  is  a  great  difference  of  opinion  among 
breeders  on  this  subject),  the  elimination  of  the  horns  from 
the  Hereford  by  a  natural  process  has  been  no  easy  under- 
taking. Of  the  more  than  240,000  registered  Herefords 
that  have  been  bred  in  this  country  in  the  past  quarter  of 
a  century,  a  very  few,  possibly  less  than  twenty  head  from 
horned  sire  and  dam,  have  been  naturally  polled. 

The  great  rarity  of  sports  of  this  kind  among  the  Here- 
fords  has  made  the  establishment  of  a  strain  of  registered 
Polled  Herefords  a  slow  and  difficult  undertaking.  How- 
ever, several  breeders  are  now  devoting  themselves  to  this 
work  with  considerable  enthusiasm  and  some  degree  of 
success.  At  the  present  time  there  are  about  one  hundred 
head  of  all  ages  of  naturally  Polled  Herefords  that  are 
registered  in  the  American  Hereford  Record.  These 
Polled  Herefords  are  denominated  by  their  breeders 
Double-Standard  Polled  Herefords,  to  distinguish  them 
from  a  class  of  polled  cattle  that  are  registered  in  the  herd- 
book  for  Polled  Herefords  exclusively,  but  are  not  eligible 
to  record  in  the  American  Hereford  Record. 

The  difficulties  that  the  breeders  of  Polled  Herefords 
have  encountered*  are  two-fold.  In  the  first  place,  the 
scarcity  of  material  to  work  on  has  necessitated  very 
close  breeding,  in  order  to  preserve  the  hornless  feature. 
In  the  second  place,  those  hornless  sports  were  unfor- 
tunately not  high-class  either  individually  or  in  breeding, 
so  that  in  strengthening  the  desired  hornless  feature  by 
close  breeding,  the  breeders  at  the  same  time  were  fixing 
in  their  cattle  some  undesirable  features  in  other  respects. 
By  careful  breeding  and  feeding,  these  difficulties  will  be 
overcome  in  time,  but  it  will  take  a  much  longer  time  under 
the  conditions  that  prevail  to  establish  a  strain  of  Here- 


234  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

fords  that  will  be  popular  because  of  their  meritorious 
qualities  other  than  the  polled  condition. 

Two  associations  of  the  breeders  of  Polled  Herefords 
have  been  organized,  one  of  which  is  called  the  American 
Polled  Hereford  Cattle  Club,  with  the  office  of  its  secretary 
at  Des  Moines,  Iowa.  The  other  organization  is  called 
the  National  Polled  Hereford  Breeders'  Association,  and 
has  its  office  in  Chicago,  Illinois.  Both  of  these  small  or- 
ganizations have  begun  the  preparation  of  herd-books  for 
Polled  Herefords,  accepting  for  registration  the  double- 
standard  variety  of  Polled  Herefords,  and  also  other 
naturally  Polled  Herefords  that  are  not  eligible  to  registry 
in  the  American  Hereford  Record. 

Literature.  —  In  England  there  is  a  History  of  Hereford  Cattle, 
by  Macdonald  and  Sinclair  (1886),  that  is  very  valuable,  as  treating 
of  this  breed  in  its  native  home.  An  excellent  history  of  Hereford 
Cattle  by  Alvin  H.  Sanders  has  just  been  published  by  the  Breeders' 
Gazette  of  Chicago. 

ABERDEEN-ANGUS  CATTLE.    Plate  VIII.    Figs.  38,  39. 
By  John  S.  Goodwin^ 

266.  The  Aberdeen-Angus  is  a  breed  of  cattle  main- 
tained primarily  for  beef-production.     It  is  a  hornless  or 
muley  type. 

267.  Origin.  —  Hornless  cattle  have  existed  for  many 
centuries.     Disregarding  the  uncertain,  although  probable, 
references  of  four  to  five  thousand  years  ago,  such  cattle 
are  definitely  mentioned  by  Tacitus,  the  Roman  historian. 
Herds  of  hornless  cattle,  at  different  times,  have  come  into 
existence  in  various  parts  of  the  world.     One  of  the  largest 
of  these  is  found  in  South  America ;   another  has  grown  up 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  235 

in  Austria,  and,  within  the  last  few  years,  hornless  cattle 
have  been  developed  among  the  well-established  horned 
breeds,  such  as  the  Hereford,  Jersey  and  Shorthorn,  with 
which  the  wearing  of  horns  seemed  to  be  a  fixed  trait. 
Many  words  have  been  used  to  express  this  hornless  con- 
dition in  cattle,  and  they  are  known  variously  as  humblies 
(humlies),  muleys,  doddies,  hornless  and  polled.  The 
latter  term  has  become  most  generally  in  use  to  designate 
the  Scotch  hornless  cattle.  All  of  these  words  simply 
mean  "  lacking  horns." 

268.  History  in  Scotland.  —  In  Scotland,  two  breeds 
of  such  cattle  have  existed  so  long  that  history  does  not 
record  their  origins.  These  are  the  Galloway,  whose 
habitat  is  the  southwestern  coast  of  Scotland,  and  the 
Aberdeen-Angus,  which  had  its  origin  in  the  northeastern 
part  of  Scotland.  It  is  somewhat  difficult  to  describe 
these  breeds  so  that  representatives  of  each  may  be 
readily  distinguished;  both  are  hornless,  both  black  and 
both  come  from  Scotland.  Generally  speaking,  the 
Galloways  are  much  longer-haired,  larger-boned,  more 
square-framed  and  somewhat  slower-maturing,  while  the 
Aberdeen-Angus  are  sleek-haired,  small-boned,  round  in 
the  barrel  and  hind-quarters  and  early-maturing. 

The  earliest  attempt  to  improve  the  polled  cattle  of 
the  northeast  of  Scotland  began  in  Angusshire,  which  is 
now  a  part  of  Forfarshire,  and  was  undertaken  by  the  late 
Hugh  Watson  of  Keillor.  His  ancestors  had  been  breeding 
these  cattle  on  the  Keillor  farm  for  more  than  two  hundred 
years  when  Hugh  Watson  began  in  1805.  Not  many 
years  later,  cattle-breeders  in  Aberdeenshire  began  im- 
proving the  same  kind  of  cattle,  and  a  considerable  rivalry 
sprang  up  between  the  different  localities.  According  to 
the  location,  the  cattle  were  known  as  the  Angus  Doddies 


236  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

and  as  Buchan  Humblies,  and  yet  again  as  Polled  Aber- 
deens.  The  word  polled  was  used  to  indicate  the  hornless 
Aberdeenshire  cattle  and  thus  to  distinguish  them  from 
another  breed,  now  almost  extinct,  which  inhabited  the 
same  shire  and  had  horns. 

At  a  still  later  time  the  breeders  of  these  hornless  cattle 
in  the  various  parts  of  northeastern  Scotland  came  to- 
gether, and,  deciding  that  the  cattle  were  all  of  one  breed, 
proceeded  to  choose  a  suitable  name.  To  please  the  par- 
tisans of  the  two  districts  in  which  most  of  these  cattle 
were  then  to  be  found,  the  name  adopted  was  Polled 
Aberdeen-or- Angus  cattle.  This  name  became  shortened 
by  dropping  out  the  word  "  or  "  and  putting  a  hyphen 
in  its  place. 

It  has  been  further  abbreviated,  because  of  the  passing 
of  the  horned  breed,  to  Aberdeen-Angus,  the  word  polled 
being  now  deemed  unnecessary.  This  idea  has  been 
adopted  also  by  the  Polled  Galloway  breeders,  so  that  their 
breed  is  now  known  as  Galloway  cattle.  Both  in  Scotland 
and  America,  even  the  name  of  Aberdeen-Angus  has  been 
shortened,  and  in  Scotland  the  cattle  are  generally  re- 
ferred to  as  the  Polled  cattle,  while  in  America  they  are 
called  the  Angus  cattle. 

These  Aberdeen-Angus  cattle  have  been  great  favorites 
in  Scotland  for  more  than  a  century,  but  unfortunately 
on  two  occasions  diseases  attacked  the  cattle  in  that 
country  and  decimated  the  herds.  Later,  when  the 
government  had  stamped  out  these  diseases,  the  cattle 
again  began  multiplying,  and  soon  assumed  an  important 
place  among  the  domestic  animals  of  the  kingdom.  The 
World's  Fair  held  at  Paris,  France,  in  1878,  gave  the  breed 
an  opportunity  to  demonstrate  its  great  merit,  and,  with 
only  fifteen  representatives,  it  won  the  champion-herd 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  237 

prize  against  nearly  two  thousand  other  cattle  of  various 
breeds  shown  in  competition,  every  animal  of  the  Aber- 
deen-Angus breed  receiving  either  a  prize  or  an  honorable 
mention.  About  this  time  the  breed  was  introduced  into 
England,  and  a  little  later  into  Ireland. 

269.  History  in  America.  —  The  Paris  successes  led 
some  of  the  former  breeders  of  these  cattle,  then  in  America, 
to  bring  over  a  few  of  their  early  favorites  in  1878,  and 
from  that  time  this  breed  of  cattle  has  grown  rapidly  in 
public  favor  until  it  is  now  recognized  as  one  of  the  prin- 
cipal beef  breeds  of  this  country.  In  1872,  two  bulls 
were  sent  to  western  Kansas,  but  no  females  accompanied 
that  importation.  It  was  the  marketing  of  the  steers 
from  these  two  animals  that  first  attracted  attention  to 
this  breed  in  Kansas  City.  Other  importations  were 
made  as  follows :  In  1876,  two  bulls  and  a  cow,  by  the 
Ontario  Agricultural  College;  in  1878,  one  bull  and  five 
cows,  by  Anderson  &  Findlay,  Lake  Forest,  Illinois; 
in  1879,  by  F.  B.  Redfield,  Batavia,  New  York;  in 
1880,  by  George  Whitfield,  Rougemont,  Province  of 
Quebec.  Since  that  time  many  importations  have  been 
made. 

The  lack  of  horns  was  such  an  unusual  condition  that  it 
excited  much  comment  and  not  a  little  opposition.  When 
breeders  and  feeders  began  to  consider  this  feature,  its 
decided  advantage  so  appealed  to  them  that  a  perfect 
furor  of  dehorning  swept  over  the  country.  Horns  were 
sawed  off  from  aged  animals,  and  horn-cores  were  gouged 
out  or  burnt  off  of  calves,  until  dehorned  market  cattle 
became  the  rule  instead  of  the  exception.  The  Aber- 
deen-Angus bull  has  become  a  prime  favorite  as  a  dehorner. 
Crossed  with  the  ordinary  native  cow,  about  90  to  95 
per  cent  of  the  offspring  are  black  in  color  and  hornless, 


238  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

although  occasionally  scurs  appear,  which,  however,  are 
no  detriment  from  the  feeder's  point  of  view. 

The  Aberdeen-Angus  cattle  rapidly  rose  in  public  favor. 
Sales  were  held  at  various  points,  and  the  cattle  were 
scattered  over  a  large  territory.  Perhaps  there  is  no  other 
instance  in  which  a  new  and  practically  unknown  breed 
has  sprung  at  once  into  such  prominence  and  has  main- 
tained so  high  a  position. 

270.  Description. — Aberdeen-Angus  cattle  are  dis- 
tinguished by  the  following  breed  characteristics  (Figs. 
38,  39) :  black  color,  polled  heads  (Plate  VIII),  rotund 
compact  type,  smoothness  of  conformation,  short  legs, 

evenness  of  flesh 
when  fat,  and  deep, 
full  hind-quarters. 
|  They  are  uniform  in 
type,  take  on  flesh 
evenly,  dress  a  large 
percentage  of  high- 
class  beef,  and,  as  a 

FIG.  38. -Aberdeen-Angus  bull.  rule'      Feach      ™      the 

hands  of  experienced 

feeders  a  degree  of  primeness  rarely  equaled.  The  mar- 
bling of  their  flesh,  i.e.,  its  proportion  and  blending  of  lean 
meat  and  fat,  is  also  a  characteristic.  In  slaughter  tests 
they  have  been  uniformly  successful  in  competition  with 
other  cattle,  their  fineness  of  bone  and  high  percentage 
of  muscle  or  lean  meat  giving  them  dressing  scores  which 
average  above  those  of  competitors.  In  hardiness  and 
prolificacy  they  do  not  differ  materially  from  other  breeds. 
The  females,  usually  good  average  milkers,  are  always 
capable  of  raising  their  own  offspring. 

In  the  early  days  of  the  breed  there  was  not  so  much 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  239 

attention  paid  to  what  is  now  known  as  the  fine  points, 
but  all  of  the  care  was  directed  to  the  individual  merit. 
Color  was  a  secondary  consideration,  and,  while  the  great 
majority  of  the  cattle  were  black,  yet  many  good  ones 
were  marked  with  a  dun-colored  stripe  down  the  back, 
while  others  were  brindled,  and  still  others  were  black 
and  white,  and  not  infrequently  calves  came  of  a  peculiar 
pale  red  color  caused 
by  the  absence  of  the 
black  pigment,  which 
is  a  characteristic  of 
the  breed.  It  w^,s 
Hugh  Watson  of 
Keillor  who  first  de- 
termined on  the  de-  FlQ  39.  -  Aberdeen-Angus  cow. 
sirability  of  a  uniform 

color  in  the  breed,  and  who  declared  himself  for  the  "  Black 
and  all  black ;  the  Angus  Doddie,  and  no  Surrender  !  " 

Not  so  much  care  was  exercised  then  as  now  in  the  choice 
of  the  sires,  and  in  some  cases  animals  were  used  that  had 
rudimentary  horns  called  scurs.  These  are  small  horn- 
like excrescences,  that  are  not  attached  to  the  skull,  and 
have  no  horn  core.  This  condition  is  not  considered  to 
represent  any  impurity  of  the  blood,  but  simply  is  a  hark- 
ing back  to  a  time  when  the  progenitors  of  these  cattle 
were  horned.  Scurs  are  extremely  objectionable  from  the 
present  standpoint,  and  males  so  marked  are  debarred 
from  registration.  The  fashion  in  color  also  demands 
that  no  white  should  appear  above  the  under-line,  but  a 
white  udder  is  said  to  be  an  indication  of  a  good  milch 
cow.  The  demand  for  solid  black  color  is  carried,  perhaps, 
beyond  the  proper  point.  There  have  been  a  number  of 
attempts  to  get  together  the  red-colored  females  and  to 


240  THE  BBEEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

establish  that  color,  but  with  only  limited  success,  the 
offspring  born  of  red  parents  coming  true  too  frequently 
to  the  characteristic  black  color. 

271.  Uses    of    Aberdeen-Angus    cattle.  —  The    breed 
has  not  been  developed  particularly  for  milk-production, 
but  in  some  herds  attention  has  been  given  to  this  quality 
with  the  result  that,  more  particularly  in  New  Zealand, 
entire  dairies  are  now  composed  of  Aberdeen- Angus  cows ; 
and  in  1895,  an  Aberdeen- Angus  cow  was  the  champion 
at  the  Dairy  Show  held  in  London. 

The  cattle  and  their  grades  are  more  especially  noted 
for  the  wealth  of  flesh  carried  on  very  short  legs,  and  are 
easy  keepers  and  early  maturing.  For  twenty  years 
this  breed  uniformly  topped  the  Chicago  market  each 
year  with  one  exception,  and  in  that  year  the  Pittsburgh 
market  paid  a  higher  price  than  any  other,  and  the 
Aberdeen- Angus  topped  that  market.  Their  winnings 
in  the  International  Live-stock  Exposition  are  matters 
of  current  history,  and  they  have  never  failed  of  represen- 
tation among  the  prize-winners,  both  as  single  animals 
and  in  carload  lots. 

For  crossing  or  grading,  the  Aberdeen- Angus  is  in  the 
front  rank.  On  common  stock,  the  bulls  get  market  cattle 
of  high  merit.  As  dehorners,  the  bulls  of  this  breed  are 
unexcelled.  A  wider  use  of  these  bulls  in  grading  would 
be  beneficial. 

272.  Distribution. — Cattle  of  this  breed  are  found  in 
Scotland,  England,  Ireland,  Germany,  France,  Denmark, 
Sandwich  Islands,  New  Zealand,  South  America,  Canada 
and  the  United  States.     In  America,  the  breed  is  repre- 
sented in  not  less  than  forty-two  states  and  territories. 
Especially  adapted  to  the  rich  prairie  lands  of  the  Middle 
West,  Aberdeen-Angus  cattle  for  years  have  been  most 


THE  BEEF  BEEED8  OF  CATTLE  241 

numerous  in  the  states  of  Iowa,  Illinois,  Missouri,  Indiana, 
Kansas,  Ohio  and  Nebraska,  in  the  order  given.  How- 
ever, they  are  widely  distributed,  and  in  recent  years 
have  increased  substantially  in  popular  favor  in  the  South, 
Southwest,  West  and  Northwest.  Preeminently  a  feeder's 
beast,  the  Aberdeen-Angus  not  only  is  highly  prized  by 
beef-producers  in  the  corn-belt,  but  graziers  and  ranchmen 
of  the  plains  region  of  the  West,  Southwest  and  North- 
west find  it  a  profitable  breed  for  their  conditions.  It  is  in 
the  surplus  corn  states,  however,  that  Aberdeen-Angus 
cattle  appear  to  reach  their  highest  excellence. 

273.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  two  leading 
organizations  concerned  with  the  advancement  of  the 
interests  of  Aberdeen-Angus  cattle  are  the  Polled  Cattle 
Society  of  Scotland,  organized  in  1879,  and  the  American 
Aberdeen- Angus  Breeders'  Association,  organized  in  1883, 
with  headquarters  in  the  Live-Stock  Record  Building, 
Chicago.  Thirty-eight  volumes  of  the  Polled  Cattle  Herd- 
book  have  been  issued  since  1862.  When  the  Polled  Cattle 
Herd-book  was  first  established  in  Scotland,  Galloway 
cattle  were  recorded  in  it  as  well  (in  first  four  volumes),  but 
all  animals  of  that  breed  were  designated  by  an  asterisk 
placed  in  front  of  their  names,  and  no  animals  were  accepted 
that  were  a  cross  between  the  Aberdeen-Angus  and  the 
Galloway,  but  both  breeds  were  kept  distinct.  Since  1886, 
the  American  association  has  published  twenty-four  vol- 
umes of  its  herd-book.  Over  197,000  Aberdeen- Angus 
cattle  have  been  registered  in  the  American  herd-book, 
but  of  course  a  considerable  proportion  of  these  were  the 
foundation  animals  whose  pedigrees  were  taken  from  the 
Scotch  herd-book ;  about  15  per  cent  of  the  annual  prod- 
uce of  pure-bred  herds  is  not  recorded.  There  are  now 
about  3200  members  in  the  American  association. 


242  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

There  are  also  several  state  organizations,  as  the  Indiana, 
Iowa  and  Nebraska  Aberdeen-Angus  Breeders'  Associa- 
tions. These  have  memberships  of  seventy-five  to  one 
hundred  and  fifty  persons,  hold  regular  annual  meetings, 
appropriate  money  for  special  prizes  at  the  state  fairs, 
and  in  other  ways  seek  to  promote  the  interests  of  the 
breed. 

Literature.  —  Aberdeen-Angus,  The  Breed  that  Beats  the  Record, 
Detroit  (1886);  James  Macdonald  and  James  Sinclair,  History  of 
Polled  Aberdeen  or  Angus  Cattle,  Edinburgh  (1882) ;  A  History  of 
the  Heatherton  Herd,  Chicago  (1907). 

GALLOWAY  CATTLE.     Plate  IX.    Figs.  40,  41. 
By  Charles  Gray 

274.  The  Galloway  is  a  breed  of  beef  cattle  which 
derives  its  name  from  the  province  of  Galloway,  Scotland. 
Galloway  now  embraces  only  the  Stewartry  of  Kirkcud- 
bright and  the  shire  of  Wigton,  the  two  southwest  counties 
of  Scotland,  but  formerly  comprised  the  six  counties  lying 
south  of  the  Firth  of  Forth. 

275.  History  in  Scotland.  —  The  origin  of  the  Galloway 
cattle  is  lost  in  the  mists  of  antiquity.     When  the  Romans 
first  visited  Britain  the  country  was  covered  with  dense 
forests.      In  these  forests  the  Romans  found  many  wild 
cattle  roaming  at  their  will,   and  it  is  now  conceded 
that  they  were  the  progenitors  of  our  modern  breed  of 
Gallo'ways.     Cattle-breeding  has  been  the  principal  busi- 
ness among  Galloway  farmers  since  earliest  times  of  which 
we  have  record.     A  history  of  Scotland  alluding  to  the 
time  prior  to  and  including  the  reign  of  Alexander  III 
(1249)  says :   "  Black  cattle  were  reared  in  great  numbers 


PLATE  IX.  —  Breed  Types  of  Cattle. 


GALLOWAY  HEIFER. 


GUERNSEY  BULL. 


THE  BEEF  BEEEDS  OF  CATTLE  243 

during  the  Scoto-Saxon  period."  George  Buchanan, 
tutor  to  James  I,  of  England,  writing  about  1566,  says 
of  Galloway :  "  It  is  more  fruitful  in  cattle  than  in 


corn." 


The  breed  was  of  great  importance  during  the  Scoto- 
Saxon  period.  In  the  early  ages  dairying  was  an  object 
of  considerable  attention.  Large  quantities  of  cheese 
were  made  and  the  people  consumed  much  animal  flesh. 
There  was  also  an  extensive  export  trade  in  hides.  At  a 
later  period,  immediately  after  the  union  of  England  and 
Scotland,  the  farmers  of  England  became  extensive  pur- 
chasers of  Galloway  cattle.  During  this  activity  the 
Galloways  found  much  favor  among  the  graziers  of  the 
south  of  England  and  the  butchers  of  Smithfield  market, 
and  they  invariably  sold  at  an  average  price  £2  a  head 
above  that  of  any  other  breed  of  the  same  weight.  The 
breed  was  much  improved  during  this  period  as  well  as 
later  when  turnip  husbandry  was  introduced  into  the 
province  of  Galloway.  A  circumstance  worthy  of  atten- 
tion is  that  the  breed  has  never  been  affected  by  crossing 
with  any  other  breed.  The  improvement  has  been  brought 
about  entirely  by  the  diligent  attention  and  careful 
management  of  the  breeders  of  Galloway  and  of  the  corn- 
belt  of  America. 

Although  the  Galloway  is  the  oldest  of  the  pure  breeds 
of  Britain,  there  has  been  very  little  written  about  the 
breed,  and  the  records  that  were  collected  during  the 
early  part  of  the  last  century  were  destroyed  by  fire 
in  the  Highland  and  Agricultural  Society's  Museum 
and  Records  in  Edinburgh  in  1851.  Some  time  later, 
about  the  year  1862,  a  book  of  pedigrees  was  compiled, 
which  contained  pedigrees  of  both  Aberdeen-Angus  and 
Galloways.  Still  a  little  later,  about  the  year  1878,  the 


244  THE  BEEEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Galloway  Cattle  Society  of  Great  Britain,  with  the  able 
assistance  of  the  secretary,  Rev.  John  Gillispie,  of  Dum- 
friesshire, Scotland,  published  the  first  book  of  Galloway 
pedigrees  which  is  recognized  by  Galloway  associations 
at  present. 

276.  History  in  America. — The  breed  was  formally  in- 
troduced into  America  by  an  importation  made  by  Graham 
Brothers,  Ontario,  Canada,  in  1853,  although  it  has  been 
said  that  one  or  two  individuals  were  seen  in  this  country 
before  that  time.    The  cattle  of  the  first  importation 
adapted  themselves  so  readily  to  Canadian  conditions 
that  many  large  shipments  quickly  followed,  until  now 
the  hornless,  shaggy  blacks  are  found  in  all  the  provinces 
of  Canada  and  nearly  every  state  in  the  Union.     The 
breed  made  its  way  into  the  United  States  slowly  at  first. 
A  few  head  were  brought  into  Michigan  in  1870,  and  from 
there  spread  into  other  central  and  western  states. 

277.  Description.  —  The  typical  modern  Galloway  is  a 
low,  blocky  animal,  with  a  long,  soft,  shaggy  coat  of  black 

hair,     hornless,     well 

fe^|-  sprung  in  the  ribs,  the 

whole  make-up  re- 
sembling a  barrel  in 
shape,  which  is  evenly 
covered  with  juicy, 
lean  flesh.  (Figs.  40, 
41.  Plate  IX.)  The 
FIG.  40 -Galloway  bull.  Galloways  have  been 

hornless     from     time 

immemorial.  Some  writers  mention  a  tradition  to  the 
effect  that  in  remote  ages  they  were  provided  with  horns ; 
however,  notices  of  the  breed  centuries  ago  invariably 
state  that  Galloways  were  hornless.  If  any  so-called 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE 


245 


Galloway  presents  the  slightest  appearance  of  horns,  he 
should  be  rejected  as  impure. 

278.  Use  for  milk.  —  The  Galloways,  as  a  breed,  can- 
not lay  claim  to  any  superiority  as  milkers.  Although 
many  herds  have  been  kept  for  centuries  in  the  south  of 
Scotland  for  dairy  pur- 
poses, yet,  as  a  whole, 
the  breed  has  been  im- 
proved chiefly  along  the 
lines  of  beef-produc- 
tion. Some  breeders 
in  Scotland  have  de- 
veloped the  milking 
faculty  of  their  herds 
to  a  very  high  degree 
by  systematically  dis- 
posing of  cows  that 
proved  shy  milkers. 
It  is  not  an  uncom- 
mon thing  in  the  corn- 
belt  of  this  country  to 
find  Galloway  cows  that  produce  large  quantities  of  milk. 
Some  of  the  most  noted  show-cows  exhibited  in  recent 
years  gave  large  quantities  of  very  rich  milk  during  their 
milking  season.  The  United  States  Government  recently 
purchased  a  number  of  animals  of  the  milking  strains  and 
sent  them  to  Alaska  for  dairy  purposes.  Many  favorable 
reports  have  been  received  from  Alaska  since  these  hardy 
blacks  arrived  at  their  .new  home.  They  seem  to  be  as 
well  adapted  to  the  rigors  of  the  northern  climate  as 
they  are  to  the  inclement  weather  found  among  the 
rugged  hills  and  fertile  glens  of  their  native  land  in 
southwestern  Scotland. 


FIG.  41.  —  Galloway  cow. 


246  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

279.  Use  for  beef.  —  It  is  chiefly  as  a  beef-producing 
breed  that  the  Galloways  are  famous.  The  quality  of 
their  beef  attracted  much  attention  in  the  British  markets 
centuries  ago,  and  they  had  the  distinction  of  being  classed 
as  "  prime  scots  "  at  Smithfield  long  before  these  cattle 
were  known  to  the  feeders  of  the  corn-belt  or  the  cow-men 
of  the  western  plains.  The  superiority  of  the  Galloway 
beef  arises  from  the  fact  that  it  is  always  well  marbled 
and  possesses  a  large  proportion  of  lean  meat  intermixed 
with  fat.  The  packers  and  butchers  have  been  striving 
to  educate  breeders,  stockmen  and  farmers  to  breed 
animals  with  a  greater  proportion  of  natural  flesh  and  less 
wasteful  fat.  The  Galloway  has  long  been  bred  with 
this  essential  feature  in  view,  and  thus  he  leads  his  rivals 
in  this  respect,  and  brings  higher  returns  per  hundred 
pounds  live  weight. 

This  breed  has  been  vastly  improved  since  its  introduc- 
tion'into  the  corn-belt.  Greater  weights  have  been  secured 
in  shorter  time  than  was  customary  twenty-five  years 
ago,  and  the  early-maturing  feature  has  been  much  in 
evidence.  In  the  past,  the  statement  has  been  advanced 
by  some  persons  that  one  could  not  mature  the  Galloways 
so  soon  as  individuals  of  other  beef  breeds.  One  need 
only  visit  some  of  the  leading  Galloway  herds  throughout 
the  country,  or  review  the  various  ages  and  classes  of 
individuals  presented  every  year  at  the  national  shows, 
to  be  convinced  of  the  error  of  this  statement.  Ex- 
perienced authorities  who  have  handled  two  or  more  of 
the  leading  beef  breeds  under  similar  conditions  maintain 
that  the  Galloways  mature  at  any  age  just  about  as  readily 
as  individuals  of  any  other  beef  breed.  To-day,  the  Gallo- 
ways have  many  claims  to  favoritism.  Experiments 
at  various  agricultural  experiment  stations  show  that  while 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  247 

they  do  not  attain  so  great  size  as  some  of  the  other  beef 
breeds,  yet  they  are  more  economical  feeders,  especially 
where  a  large  proportion  of  roughage  has  to  be  consumed. 
When  the  numbers  of  each  breed  are  considered,  the  Gallo- 
ways top  the  market  at  the  great  live-stock  centers  as 
often  as  any  other  breed.  The  killing  qualities  are  in 
their  favor  because,  as  a  rule,  the  Galloways  have  com- 
paratively little  offal  or  excess  fat,  and  consequently  they 
dress  a  very  high  percentage  of  marketable  beef. 

280.  Use  for  hides.  —  In  midsummer  the  hide  of  the 
Galloway  has  no  greater  comparative  value  than  that  of 
any  other  breed.     From  November  to  March,  however, 
when  the  coat  of  hair  is  long  and  at  its  best,  the  Galloway 
hide  is  worth  five  to  eight  cents  per  pound  more  than  the 
hide  of  an  animal  of  any  other  breed.     There  was  a  time 
when  the  western  plains  were  covered  with  buffalo,  which 
produced  millions  of  robes,  but  these  animals  are  now 
almost  extinct,  and  the  Galloway  is  the  only  domestic 
animal  of  the  bovine  race  that  can  roam  the  plains  and 
produce  a  superior  quality  of  beef  and  robes  that  can 
take  the  place  of  the  hides  of  the  buffalo  of  days  gone  by. 

281.  Use  for  grazing.  —  As  grazers,  the  Galloways  are 
seldom  equaled  and  never  excelled.     It  has  already  been 
mentioned  that  the  habitat  of  the   Galloway  was  for 
centuries  in  the  southwest  of  Scotland.     They  were  often 
kept  on  the  hills  where  the  pasture  was  scant,  and  they 
invariably  gave  a  good  account  of  themselves.     They  re- 
spond readily  to  the  luxuriant  pasture  of  the  valleys,  but 
thrive  and  seem  contented  on  the  bleak,  scant  forage  of 
the  moorland.     For  a  time  they  had  a  struggle  for  existence 
in  this  country,  due  to  the  keenness  of  their  rivalry  with 
the  other  beef  breeds.     Their    persistent  struggles  and 
many  victories  in  the  show-yard  in  recent  years,  however, 


248  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

have  established  a  place  for  them  in  the  corn-belt  and  the 
ranges  of  the  West  and  Southwest,  which  will  undoubtedly 
continue  as  long  as  our  cattle  industry  remains.  The  con- 
stitution which  was  built  up  from  years  of  exposure  to 
inclement  weather  in  Scotland  furnishes  the  breed  with 
the  required  merit  to  recommend  it  for  the  vast  graz- 
ing ranges  of  the  Northwest,  West  and  Southwest.  In 
summer  on  the  range,  the  Galloway  will  make  as  good 
gains  on  luxuriant  pasture  as  any  breed,  and  will  hold 
his  own  and  often  thrive  on  scant  pastures  or  on  drought- 
stricken  regions  where  cattle  of  other  breeds  cannot 
exist.  While  the  hardy  constitution  is  put  forward  as 
a  special  merit,  however,  one  should  not  forget  that 
Galloways  prefer  luxuriant  forage  just  as  much  as  the 
softer  breeds,  and  will  give  increased  returns  from  good 
feed  and  care. 

On  the  range  where  different  breeds  have  been  wintered 
it  has  been  found  that  during  severe  storms  the  mortality 
among  Galloways  is  much  less,  and  the  loss  in  weight  due 
to  disagreeable  weather  much  smaller,  than  is  usually  in 
evidence  among  individuals  of  the  less  hardy  breeds. 

The  Galloway  calves  are  very  active  and  hardy  when 
dropped  on  the  open  range,  and  are  soon  able  to  rustle 
for  themselves.  In  summer  they  can  endure  the  broiling 
sun  and  withstand  the  severest  storms  in  winter. 

282.  Use  for  crossing.  —  For  prepotency,  this  breed 
stands  in  the  first  rank.  It  is  conceded  that  the  Galloway 
possesses  the  ability  to  perpetuate  himself  as  uniformly  in 
size,  quality  and  color  as  any  other  breed.  The  stockman 
must  have  a  uniform  bunch  of  hornless  steers  in  order 
to  command  top  prices.  By  the  use  of  a  good  Galloway 
bull  on  average  cows  the  best  results  are  invariably  secured. 
The  Galloway  as  a  dehorner  stands  high  among  the  polled 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  249 

breeds.  In  this  day  when  practically  all  feeding  cattle 
are  dehorned,  the  naturally  polled  cattle  have  a  decided 
advantage  over  their  horned  rivals,  as  the  dehorning 
process  is  many  times  dangerous  and  occasionally  fatal, 
and  in  every  instance  it  causes  a  temporary  shrinkage  in 
weight  and  tardiness  in  growth  of  animals. 

For  crossing  with  other  breeds,  especially  with  the 
Shorthorns,  they  are  very  valuable.  The  outcome  of 
the  cross  of  Shorthorn  bulls  on  Galloway  cows  are  usually 
known  as  "  blue-grays."  This  system  of  crossing  has 
been  practiced  for  many  years  in  Great  Britain  and  to 
some  extent  in  this  country,  and  the  results  have  been 
very  satisfactory.  The  Shorthorn  furnishes  plenty  of 
size,  while  the  Galloway  forms  the  low  type  and  large 
proportion  of  natural  flesh,  qualities  which  up-to-date 
feeders  and  butchers  are  constantly  demanding.  When  a 
pure-bred  animal  is  crossed  on  any  grade  beef  or  dairy 
cow,  the  results  are  surprising  and  the  offspring  is  in- 
variably hornless,  black  in  color  and  uniform  in  make-up. 
Galloway  bulls  are  used  very  freely  in  the  dairy  districts 
of  Great  Britain,  and  the  black  calves  sell  at  much  better 
prices  than  those  from  bulls  of  the  dairy  breeds. 

283.  Distribution.  —  Galloways   are  found  mainly  in 
Scotland,  Canada  and  the  United  States,  but  in  smaller 
numbers  are  distributed  also  in  England,  Ireland,  Russia, 
South  Africa,  Argentina,  Mexico  and  Alaska.     Recently 
the  United  States  Government  has  introduced  them  into 
the  Philippine  Islands,  where  they  are  making  a  very 
satisfactory  cross  with  the  native  cattle. 

284.  Organizations  and  records.  —  Galloway   Cattle 
Society  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland ;  secretary,  Francis 
N.  M.  Gourlay,  Milnton,  Tynron,  Thornhill,  Dumfries- 
shire, Scotland.      The  Galloway  Herd-book  is  the  official 


250  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

record.  Of  this  book,  which  is  published  by  the  Society, 
35  volumes  have  been  issued,  containing  the  registry  of 
36,954  pedigrees.  American  Galloway  Breeders'  Asso- 
ciation; secretary,  R.  W.  Brown,  Carrollton,  Missouri. 
The  Association  publishes  the  American  Galloway  Herd- 
book,  of  which  20  volumes  have  been  issued,  containing 
41,000  registrations.  North  American  Galloway  Associa- 
tion; secretary,  Lieut.-Col.  David  McCrae,  Guelph,  On- 
tario, Canada.  The  registry  work  of  this  organization  is 
conducted  by  the  Canadian  National  Live-stock  Records, 
Ottawa.  About  2200  pedigrees  have  been  recorded. 


SUSSEX  CATTLE.     Figs.  42,  43 

By  Overtoil  Lea 

285.  Sussex  cattle  are  so  called  from  the  county  of 
that  name  in  England,  where  they  most  abound.     They 
are  distinctly  a  beef  breed. 

286.  History  in  England.  —  The  origin  of  the  Sussex, 
like  that  of  all  the  oldest  breeds  of  English  cattle,  is  in- 
volved in  obscurity.     According  to  Youatt  and  Martin, 
some  of  the  ancient  Britons  fled  before  the  advance  of  their 
enemies  to  the  Weald  of  East  Sussex  and  carried  with  them 
their  cattle,  or  found  there  some  of  the  native  cattle  of 
the  country,  and  zealously  guarded  them  against  all  ad- 
mixture.      Alfred    Heasrnan,    editor   of   the   first   three 
volumes  of  the  Sussex  Herd-book,  and  author  of  a  chapter 
on  Sussex  cattle  in  "  The  Cattle  of  the  British  Isles," 
doubts  whether  the  breed  was  imported  or  found  native  to 
the  country  on  the  advent  of  William  the  Conqueror  and 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  251 

his  followers.  Be  this  as  it  may,  the  breed  is  universally 
recognized  to  be  a  distinct  one.  It  has  been  a  prominent 
feature  of  Sussex  from  time  immemorial,  and  has  pre- 
served, unchanged  through  all  vicissitudes,  the  same 
characteristics,  —  great  weight,  aptitude  to  fatten,  and 
red  color,  —  except  in  so  far  as  improved  by  better  feeding 
and  greater  care.  Originally  they  were  used  chiefly  for 
draft  purposes,  their  great  size  and  strength  and  activity, 
withal,  enabling  them  to  draw  promptly  the  heaviest  loads 
and  till  the  stiffest  soil.  But,  even  in  remote  times,  the 
quality  of  their  flesh  was  highly  prized  and,  when  the  oxen 
became  aged,  they  were  bought  up,  grazed  a  year,  and 
supplied  the  markets  with  animals  weighing  180  to  200 
stone  (a  stone  is  about  14  pounds  avoirdupois,  making 
the  weight  2500  to  2800  pounds). 

These  cattle  have  always  been  the  favorite  of  the 
tenant  farmer  (than  whom  there  is  no  better  judge  of 
a  profitable  animal)  of  Sussex  and  adjacent  counties, 
and  have  constituted  for  many  years  one  of  the  chief 
attractions  at  the  local  stock  shows.  More  recently, 
stimulated  by  the  exportation  of  large  numbers  of 
the  principal  breeds  at  fancy  prices,  some  of  the  English 
breeders  have  sought  to  bring  forward  the  Sussex  more 
prominently  at  all  of  the  leading  shows  of  the  British 
Isles. 

287.  History  in  America.  —  The  date  of  the  first  im- 
portation to  America  is  uncertain.     Since  1880,  a  number 
of  importations  have  been  made.     In  1884,  the  writer 
imported  a  number  of  this  breed  of  cattle  for  his  farm  in 
Tennessee.     In  1891,  the  Ontario  Agricultural  College  at 
Guelph,  Canada,  made  an  importation. 

288.  Description.  —  For  a  short  description,  by  way  of 
comparison,  imagine  a  Devon  with  the  weight  of  a  Short- 


252 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


FIG.  42.  —  Sussex  bull. 


horn,  and  the  picture  will  convey  an  accurate  idea  of  the 
Sussex.  More  particularly,  "  the  horns  are  of  medium 
length,  coming  out  at  any  angle,  but  generally  horizontally, 
branching  laterally,  and  turning  upward  toward  the  ends ; 

nose  tolerably  wide, 
with  muzzle  of  flesh- 
color  ;  thin  between 
the  nostrils  and  eyes; 
eyes  rather  prominent ; 
forehead  inclined  to 
be  wide;  neck  short; 
sides  straight ;  wide 
and  open  in  the  breast, 
which  should  project 
forward;  girth  deep;  legs  short;  chine-bone  straight; 
ribs  broad  ;  loin  thickly  fleshed ;  hip-bone  not  very  large, 
and  well  covered ;  rump  flat  and  long ;  tail  with  white 
brush,  which  should  drop  perpendicularly;  thigh  flat 
outside  and  full  in- 
side; coat  soft  and 
silky,  with  a  mellow 
touch;  color  solid  red, 
both  light  and  dark, 
sometimes  the  two 
shades  mingling  and 
making  a  beautiful 
dappled  bay;  and  a 
few  gray  or  white  hairs, 
nearly  always  single,  except  on  the  foretop,  are  regarded 
most  favorably."  (Figs.  42,  43.) 

The  special  merits  claimed  for  the  breed  are  large  size, 
early  maturity,  propensity  to  fatten,  prime  quality  of 
flesh  laid  on  the  most  desirable  parts,  hardihood  of  con- 


FIG.  43.  —  Sussex  cow. 


THE  BEEF  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  253 

stitution,    uniform   popular   color   and   capacity   to   im- 
press these  characteristics  on  their  offspring. 

289.  Uses  of  Sussex  cattle.  —  As  the  Sussex  is  pri- 
marily a  beef  breed,  its  milk-giving  qualities  have  not 
been  especially  developed.     At  the  same  time,  the  cows, 
almost  without  exception,  give  milk  of  most  excellent 
quality  and,  if  milked  closely,  make  surprisingly  good 
dairy   animals.     They   fatten   when   dry   more    readily, 
perhaps,  than  the  steers. 

The  Sussex  has  achieved  the  highest  honors  "  on  the 
scale  and  the  block."  The  object  of  the  breeders,  as  a 
class,  revealed  by  the  typical  Sussex  of  to-day,  has  been 
to  produce  the  most  profitable  butcher's  beast ;  to  hasten 
the  period  of  maturity  and  improve  the  quality,  without 
forgetting  to  preserve  these  most  excellent  characteristics 
of  the  breed,  —  sound  constitution,  capacity  to  rustle, 
fecundity  and  prepotency.  About  1500  pounds  for  cows 
and  2000  pounds  for  bulls  represent  the  average  weights 
of  animals  in  good  breeding  condition.  The  average 
weight  of  a  well-fatted  bullock,  twenty-four  months  old, 
may  be  safely  put  at  1400  pounds. 

The  prepotency  of  Sussex  bulls  makes  them  valuable 
for  crossing  on  native  or  grade  stock,  to  improve  the 
beefing  qualities  and  ability  to  graze.  They  readily 
stamp  their  characters  on  their  crosses. 

290.  Feeding    and    care.  —  The    breed    responds    as 
generously  as  any  to  full  feeding  and  care,  and  thrives 
on  rough  and  scant  pasturage.     In  cold  weather,  shelter  — 
the  lee  side  of  a  shed,  or  wind-shield,  or  straw-stack,  if 
no  better  is  obtainable  —  is  a  distinct  advantage ;    at 
other  seasons,  nothing  but  fair  grazing  is  required. 

291.  Distribution.  —  Sussex  cattle  are  not  yet  widely 
distributed.    Their  local  habitat  is  Sussex  and  the  ad- 


254  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

joining  counties  in  England.  They  have  been  exported 
to  Canada  and  the  United  States,  and  to  South  Africa, 
Egypt  and  South  America. 

292.  Organizations  and  records.  —  At  a  comparatively 
early  date  in  the  history  of  registration,  the  English  Sussex 
Herd-book  Society  established  the  English  Sussex  Herd- 
book,  tracing  pedigrees  to  the  year  1855.  The  American 
Sussex  Register  was  established  in  1889  by  the  American 
Sussex  Cattle  Association.  Comparatively  few  Sussex 
cattle  have  been  imported  to  the  United  States,  and  only 
one  volume  of  the  Register  has  been  published  (1906), 
containing  something  less  than  300  entries. 

Literature.  —  Arthur  Young,  General  Views  of  Agriculture  in 
the  County  of  Sussex  (1893). 


CHAPTER  IX 
THE  DAIRY  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE 

REPRESENTATIVES  of  these  breeds  are  alike  milky  in 
their  form  —  in  every  way  opposed  to  beefiness,  triangular 
instead  of  rectangular,  spare  not  thickly  fleshed,  long,  lean 
and  narrow  in  head  and  neck  rather  than  short,  broad  and 
thick ;  light  in  the  shoulder,  narrow  and  lean  in  the  chine, 
showing  breadth  only  in  the  hind-quarters,  which  like  the 
chine  are  lean  and  especially  light  in  the  thighs.  The 
size,  shape  and  texture  of  the  udder  should  indicate  great 
productive  capacity. 

JERSEY  CATTLE.    Plate  X.    Fig.  44. 
By  M.  A.  Scovell 

293.  The  Jersey  is  one  of  the  leading  dairy  breeds  of 
cattle.    The  island  of  Jersey,  eleven  miles  long  and  less 
than  six  miles  wide,  lying  in  the  English  Channel  some 
thirty  miles  from  the  southern  extremity  of  England  and 
about  thirteen  miles  from  the  coast  of  France,  is  its  native 
home. 

294.  The  use  of  the  term  Alderney.  —  In  American 
and  English  writings  there  has  been  some  confusion  in  the 
use  of  the  term  Alderney,  as  applied  to  cattle  from  the 
Channel  islands.     In  1844,  Colonel  Le  Couteur  wrote  an 
article  on  the  "  Jersey  Misnamed  Alderney  Cow."    This 
article  was  published  in  the  Journal  of  the  Royal  Agri- 

255 


256  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

cultural  Society  of  England,  Vol.  5,  page  43,  and  was 
afterwards  copied  into  the  Transactions  of  the  New  York 
State  Agricultural  Society  in  1850,  and  into  Volume  I  of 
the  Herd  Register  of  the  American  Jersey  Cattle  Club. 
It  forms  the  basis  of  our  knowledge  of  the  early  history  of 
Channel  island  cattle.  When  Channel  island  cattle  were 
first  exported  to  Great  Britain,  they  were  collectively 
called  Alderneys,  because  vessels  plying  between  the 
Channel  islands  and  Great  Britain  cleared  from  the  port 
of  Alderney.  The  cattle  were  actually  very  largely  from 
the  island  of  Jersey,  since  that  is  the  largest  island  and 
contains  the  most  cattle.  The  local  government  of  the 
Channel  islands  is  administered  through  two  municipali- 
ties, the  one,  the  states  of  Jersey,  comprising  the  island 
of  Jersey  alone;  the  other,  the  states  of  Guernsey,  com- 
prising Guernsey  and  the  other  inhabited  islands,  of  which 
Alderney  is  one.  For  more  than  a  century  there  has  been 
no  intercommunication  of  cattle  from  outside  the  islands 
or  between  the  two  municipalities  themselves.  This  has 
been  one  of  the  agencies  in  the  establishment  of  the  two 
breeds,  Jersey  and  Guernsey,  which  are  now  and  have 
been  for  many  years  sufficiently  distinct  so  as  to  be  readily 
recognized.  Alderney  is  in  no  sense  an  agricultural  island, 
and  the  few  cattle  on  the  island  are  kept  merely  as  family 
cows  by  the  inhabitants.  They  come,  of  course,  from 
Guernsey,  and  are  of  that  breed.  There  has  never  been  a 
distinct  breed  known  as  Alderneys,  and  the  name  "  Alder- 
ney "  has  been  more  commonly  applied  to  Jersey  than  to 
Guernsey  cattle. 

295.  Early  history.  —  The  origin  of  the  Jersey  breed  is 
conjectural,  but  it  is  probably  the  same  as  the  original 
breed  of  Normandy.  The  earliest  writers  on  the  cattle  of 
this  Island  assert  that  they  were  superior  to  those  of  Nor- 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  257 

mandy  and  Brittany.  Rev.  Philip  Falle  wrote,  in  1734, 
"  The  cattle  on  this  Island  are  superior  to  the  French." 
Thomas  Quayle,  in  1812,  asserted  an  advantage  over  any 
other  breed  in  the  quantity  and  quality  of  cream  produced 
from  the  consumption  of  a  given  quantity  of  fodder. 
Garrard,  in  the  first  part  of  the  last  century,  gave  the  milk 
yield  as  three  to  four  gallons  a  day,  and  the  butter  yield 
as  220  to  230  pounds  a  cow  a  year.  According  to  Inglis, 
the  general  average  produced  at  that  time  was  ten  quarts 
of  milk  a  day  and  seven  pounds  of  butter  a  week. 

No  distinct  characteristics  as  to  form  and  color  were 
given  by  the  earliest  writers,  except  that  Colonel  Le 
Couteur  mentions  the  fact  that  the  Jersey  farmer  was 
content  to  possess  an  ugly,  ill-formed  animal  with  flat 
sides,  cat-hams,  narrow  and  high  hips,  a  hollow  back, 
yet  ever  possessing  a  lively  eye,  round  barrel,  deep  chest, 
short,  fine,  deerlike  limbs  and  a  fine  tail.  Nor  do  any 
of  the  writers  give  the  reason  why  the  Jersey  was  superior 
to  other  breeds,  until  the  article  by  Colonel  Le  Couteur 
appeared  in  the  Journal  of  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society  of  England,  in  1845.  In  this  article  Colonel 
Le  Couteur  says :  "  The  Jersey  cow  was  excellent  as 
she  has  ever  been,  which  has  been  attributed  to  the  cir- 
cumstance of  a  few  farmers  having  constantly  attended 
to  raising  stock  from  cows  of  the  best  milking  qualities, 
which  attention,  prosecuted  for  a  long  number  of  years 
in  a  small  country  like  ours,  where  such  superior  qualities 
would  soon  be  known,  led  to  the  excellence  of  milk-  and 
butter-yielding  qualities  in  the  race.  This  never  could 
have  been  secured  so  generally  in  Normandy,  from  whence 
our  breed  probably  originated,  or  in  any  other  extended 
country."  We  may  assume,  then,  that  the  breed  owes 
its  peculiar  qualities  to  an  evolution  of  persistent  breeding 


258  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

to  perpetuate  and  accentuate  distinctive  qualities,  and  to 
the  exclusion  of  all  other  cattle  from  the  Island.  The 
method  of  tethering,  which  has  always  prevailed  on  the 
Island,  may  have  had  its  influence. 

An  organized  attempt  was  made  to  give  a  fixed  beauty 
of  form  to  the  Jersey  about  1835,  when,  says  Colonel  Le 
Couteur,  a  few  gentlemen  selected  two  beautiful  cows 
with  the  best  qualities  as  models.  One  was  held  to  be 
perfect  in  her  barrel  and  fore-quarters,  the  other  equally 
so  in  her  hind-quarters.  From  these  two,  a  scale  of  points 
was  laid  down  to  be  the  rule  for  governing  the  judges  at 
the  cattle  shows  of  the  Jersey  Agricultural  Society. 

At  an  early  period,  steps  were  taken  to  keep  the  breed 
pure  by  preventing  outside  cattle  coming  into  the  Island, 
and  in  1763  an  act  was  passed  which  has  since  been  rigidly 
enforced,  and  supplemented  by  the  further  acts  of  1789, 
1826,  1864  and  1878,  prohibiting  the  landing  of  cattle  on 
the  Island  except  for  the  purpose  of  slaughter.  Even 
before  the  enactment  of  laws,  the  purity  of  the  cattle  was 
maintained  by  the  persistence  with  which  the  Jerseyman 
clung  to  his  own  breed.  Every  effort  to  introduce  other 
cattle,  even  from  England,  has  been  invariably  rendered 
futile  by  the  inhabitants. 

The  Royal  Jersey  Agricultural  and  Horticultural  So- 
ciety, organized  in*1833,  has  been  one  of  the  chief  means 
of  improving  the  general  character  of  the  breed  on  the 
Island,  and  of  developing  its  valuable  dairy  qualities.  In 
1836,  the  Society  recommended  that  one  superior  bull  be 
kept  in  each  parish,  and  that  encouragement  be  given  to 
keep  first-rate  heifers  in  the  Island,  as  the  high  prices 
offered  were  strong  temptations  to  export  them.  .  In 
1838,  it  enacted  at  least  two  new  rules.  One  was  to  the 
effect  that  any  person  withholding  the  services  of  a  prize 


o 


0 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  259 

bull  from  the  public  should  forfeit  the  premium ;  the  other 
was  that  all  heifers  having  premiums  adjudged  to  them 
should  be  kept  on  the  Island  until  they  shall  have  dropped 
their  first  calf.  If  previously  sold  for  exportation,  they 
shall  forfeit  the  premium. 

296.  History  after  1850.  —  In  1853,  the  Society  began 
to  recognize  the  fact  that  it  was  unwise  to  ship  out  of  the 
Island  the  best  cattle,  and  urged  the  breeders  against 
selling  their  best  stock  to  be  taken  from  the  Island.  In 
1862,  the  Society  reports,  "  To  a  very  considerable  extent, 
the  business  of  the  society  is  limited  to  the  improvement 
of  our  insular  race  of  cattle,  which  in  itself  is  of  the  highest 
importance.  We,  therefore,  wish  to  impress  an  observa- 
tion on  those  who  study  the  improvement  of  their  stock 
—  beauty  of  symmetry  alone  cannot  ever  be  the  acme  of 
perfection.  The  latter  can  be  obtained  only  when  good- 
ness and  beauty  are  equally  combined."  "  It  is  an  estab- 
lished fact  that  the  renown  which  the  Jersey  cow  enjoys 
is  attributable  to  the  peculiar  richness  of  its  milk,  as  well 
as  to  its  docility  of  temper  and  neatness  of  form.  Now, 
as  this  richness  is  not  so  marked  in  some  specimens  as  it 
is  in  others,  it  becomes  advisable  to  make  such  selections 
in  breeding  as  will  ensure  further  amelioration  in  this 
most  essential  and  highly  important  point." 

Up  to  1865,  there  appears  to  have  been  little  attention 
paid  to  the  quantity  of  milk  which  the  Jersey  gave.  The 
quality  of  milk  and  the  quantity  of  butter  and  beauty  of 
form  seem  to  have  been  the  only  points  which  the  breeders 
had  considered,  up  to  that  time.  But,  in  that  year,  a 
committee  of  the  Agricultural  Society  of  Jersey  urged 
that  the  Jersey  breeder  should  pay  greater  attention  to  the 
milk-producing  qualities  of  the  cow,  and  that  every  cow 
with  the  least  tendency  to  deficiency  in  quantity  of  milk 


260  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

should  be  weeded  out,  and  suggested  that  the  judges 
especially  consider  this  in  awarding  prizes.  It  will  be 
seen,  therefore,  that  the  Jersey  has  been  bred  for  quantity 
of  milk  for  only  about  forty  years.  It  was  in  the  seventies 
that  it  became  the  fashion,  both  in  England  and  America, 
to  select  solid-colored  Jerseys  with  black  points,  and  for 
some  time  this  color  craze  had  a  detrimental  influence  on 
the  breed.  But  it  appears  that  the  Agricultural  Society 
of  Jersey,  ever  watchful  of  the  future  interests  of  the  breed, 
condemned  this  color  craze,  and,  in  1873,  it  reports,  "  Let 
henceforth  such  fanciful  ideas  as  black  tails  and  black 
tongues  be  estimated  at  their  proper  value,  but  let  the 
large  and  rich  yield  of  milk  be  ever  the  breeder's  ambition 
to  procure." 

The  Jersey  herd-book  was  started  in  1866,  and  it  has 
undoubtedly  had  a  marked  influence  on  the  improvement 
of  the  cattle  in  the  Island.  In  America  or  in  England,  an 
animal  may  be  registered  as  soon  as  born,  if  its  sire  and 
dam  are  registered,  or  are  capable  of  being  registered. 
On  the  Island,  however,  inspection  is  made  a  conditional 
precedent  to  registering.  The  following  are  necessary  con- 
ditions to  registration : 

(1)  Every  animal  must  be   inspected   by   competent 
judges,  and,  if  it  is  considered  fit,  it  obtains  a  qualifica- 
tion, namely,  commended  or  highly  commended. 

(2)  Every  bull   submitted   for  qualification  must  be 
accompanied  by  his  dam,  in  order  that  the  merits  of  the 
latter  may  be  taken  into  consideration  in  awarding  a 
commendation  to  the  former. 

(3)  No  heifer,  although  she  may  be  descended  from 
registered  parents,  can  be  entered  in  the  herd-book  until 
she  has  had  a  calf,  and  if  at  the  time  of  her  examination 
she  is  a  poor  milker,  she  receives  no  commendation. 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  261 

It  will  readily  be  seen,  therefore,  that  by  the  method 
of  registration  on  the  island  of  Jersey,  not  only  the 
pedigree  can  be  traced,  but  it  can  be  ascertained  whether 
the  dams  and  sires  for  generations  back  have  been 
commended  or  highly  commended  by  the  commissioned 
judges.  These  commendations  are  shown  in  pedigree 
by  the  letter  C.  if  commended,  and  by  the  letters  H.  C.  if 
highly  commended. 

Jersey  cattle  were  imported  into  England  as  early  as 
1835,  and  in  large  numbers  in  the  forties.  L.  W.  Low,  in 
1845,  says,  "  The  cows  are  imported  into  England  in 
considerable' numbers,  and  are  esteemed  beyond  those  of 
any  other  race  for  the  richness  of  their  milk  and  the  deep 
yellow  color  of  their  butter." 

297.  History  in  America.  —  Importation  into  America 
began  in  1850.     In  that  year  twelve  animals  were  im- 
ported under  the  auspices  of  a  club  of  farmers  organized 
for  the  purpose.     Only  prize  winners  were  purchased. 
The  bull  "  Splendens  "  was  in  this  importation,  and  he 
proved  to  be  a  very  valuable  animal.     Other  importations 
followed  in  the  fifties,  mostly  to  Connecticut,  Massachu- 
setts, New  Jersey  and  New  York,  and  from  1860  to  1890, 
importations  were  numerous  and  to  nearly  every  part  of 
the  United  States.     More  than  two  thousand  head  a  year 
were  imported  year  after  year.     Again,  from  about  1900 
to  the  present  time,  many  importations  have  been  made. 
In  fact,  so  numerously  have  Jersey  cattle  been  imported 
and  so  rapidly  have  they  increased  in  America,  that  they 
outnumber   the   Jerseys  on  the   Island,  and   they  have 
been  so  largely  used  for  grading,  that  the  Jersey  char- 
acteristics are  seen  everywhere  dairy  cows  are  kept. 

298.  Description.  —  The  ideal  Jersey  of  to-day  has  a 
small    head,    short,    broad,    lean    and    dish-faced.     The 


262  THE  BEEEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

muzzle,  including  the  under  lip,  is  black  or  dark  in  color, 
surrounded  by  a  light  or  mealy  strip  of  light  skin  and  hair. 
The  eyes  are  prominent,  large,  bright  and  wide  apart. 
The  horns  are  crumpled  or  incurving,  small,  waxy  and  often 
black-tipped.  The  ears  are  small,  delicate  and  yellow- 
colored  within.  The  neck  is  fine,  clean  and  small.  The 
legs  are  short,  fine  boned  and  small.  The  body  is  well 
hooped  or  rounded,  large  and  deep.  The  tail  is  fine  boned, 
long,  with  a  full  brush.  The  skin  is  mellow,  loose,  yellow, 

with  short,  fine,  silky 
hair.  The  udder  is 
large  in  size,  extend- 
ing well  up  behind 
and  well  forward,  not 
pendant.  The  teats 
are  medium  sized, 
placed  far  apart  on 

PtaT  44.  -Jersey  bull.  the  .    U(Uer>       with°Ut 

having  the  udder  cut 
up  between  them.  The  milk  veins  are  generally  highly 
developed,  tortuous,  knotty,  and  often  spreading  in  several 
branches.  The  back  should  be  straight  from  shoulder  to 
the  setting-on  of  the  tail.  So  far  as  beauty  is  concerned, 
the  sloping  rump  is  very  objectionable.  The  general  ap- 
pearance should  be  attractive  and  sprightly.  The  head 
should  be  erect  when  walking  and  the  movements  should 
be  light,  quick  and  graceful.  When  in  full  flow  of  milk, 
the  Jersey  should  carry  little  flesh,  but  have  muscular 
development  enough  for  healthy  activity  and  full  diges- 
tive forces.  (Fig.  44.  Plate  X.) 

299.  Use  for  milk  and  butter.  —  For  many  years  the 
Jersey  was  bred  almost  exclusively  for  its  butter-produc- 
ing qualities.  Many  private  and  official  butter  tests  have 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  263 

been  published,  giving  phenomenal  yields  of  butter.  As 
the  result  of  these  tests,  so-called  families  of  Jerseys  have 
sprung  up,  as  the  St.  Lambert,  the  Signal,  the  Combina- 
tion, the  Victor,  the  Tormentor.  But  a  careful  review 
of  authenticated  tests,  and  especially  the  results  of  the 
official  tests  at  the  World's  Columbian  and  at  the  Louisiana 
Purchase  Expositions,  show  that  the  excellence  is  inherent 
in  the  breed  generally,  and  is  not  confined  to  any  partic- 
ular line  or  lines  of  breeding.  Of  late  years,  much  atten- 
tion has  been  paid  to  the  breeding  of  Jerseys  for  milk- 
production  as  well  as  for  butter,  and  for  beauty  of  form, 
with  excellent  results.  Jerseys  giving  four  to  five  gallons 
of  milk  a  day  are  not  rare  in  most  herds,  and  such  cows 
are  noted  for  persistence  in  milking.  Records  are  given 
of  individual  cows  giving  10,000,  12,000  and  even  over 
18,000  pounds  of  milk  in  a  year.  Yields  of  butter-fat 
amounting  to  600  pounds  are  common,  and  there  are 
many  records  of  over  900  pounds,  the  highest  record  being 
999  pounds,  2.2  ounces,  in  one  year. 

Very  interesting  are  the  results  from  the  dairy  test  at 
the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago  in  1893, 
and  the  cow-demonstration  tests  at  the  Louisiana  Pur- 
chase Exposition  at  St.  Louis,  in  1904.  In  both  instances 
the  cows  were  selected  and  cared  for  by  the  American 
Jersey  Cattle  Club,  and  it  may  be  assumed,  therefore, 
that  the  best  cows  in  the  breed  available  at  that  time  were 
selected  in  each  case.  The  test  was  conducted  in  each 
instance  by  a  committee  of  the  Association  of  American 
Agricultural  Colleges  and  Experiment  Stations.  The  re- 
sults show  that  the  Jersey  cows  can  assimilate  a  large 
quantity  of  food,  give  four  to  five  gallons  of  rich  milk  a 
day,  and  that  they  are  persistent  milkers ;  and  if  conclu- 
sions can  be  drawn  from  comparison  of  the  two  tests, 


264 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


each  with  the  same  number  of  cows,  selected  in  the  same 
manner,  and  under  like  conditions,  it  is  that  in  the  eleven 
years  between  these  tests  the  Jerseys  had  increased  largely 
in  flow  of  milk,  and  in  the  production  of  butter. 

The  records  of  the  Jerseys  in  the  ninety-day  test  at  the 
World's  Columbian  Exposition  at  Chicago,  June-August 
29,  1893,  give  the  following  summary  of  results  for  the 
twenty-five  cows  entered : 


TOTAL  LBS. 
MILK 

AVERAGE  PER 
CENT  FAT 

TOTAL  LBS. 
BUTTER 

73,488.8 

4.784+ 

3516  1 

Average  a  cow   .... 
Daily  average  a  cow  .     . 

2,939.6 
32.6 

4.784+ 

140.6 
1.56 

Most  of  the  cows  had  been  in  milk  one  to  three  months 
and  one  at  least  five  months  prior  to  the  beginning  of  the 
test. 

The  records  of  the  Jerseys  in  the  120-day  cow-demon- 
stration test  at  the  Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition  at  St. 
Louis,  June  16 -October  13,  1904,  give  the  following 
summary  of  results  for  the  twenty-five  cows  entered : 


TOTAL  LBS. 

PER  CENT 

LBS.  OP 

LBS.  OF 

MILK 

OP  FAT 

FAT 

BUTTER 

Grand  total      .     .     . 

124,524.2 

4.666  + 

5,810.7 

6,841.6 

Total  average  a  cow 

4,981.0 

4.666+ 

232.4 

273.7 

Daily  average  a  cow 

41.5 

1.9 

2.3 

The  cows  averaged  sixty-nine  days  in  lactation  at  the 
time  the  demonstration  began,  so  in  reality  at  the  close 
of  the  test,  the  cows,  on  an  average,  had  been  in  milk 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  265 

nearly  six  months.  The  Jerseys  not  only  gave  over  forty 
pounds  of  milk  per  day,  but  the  milk  was  the  richest  of 
any  in  butter-fat,  averaging  4.7  per  cent,  or  an  average 
of  more  than  two  pounds  of  butter  per  day  for  each  cow, 
making  a  total  of  274  pounds  in  120  days.  In  the  two 
months  in  which  they  were  milked  prior  to  the  beginning 
of  the  test,  they  should  have  produced  about  the  same 
amount  of  butter  in  proportion  to  the  time  as  they  had 
during  the  test,  which  would  give  an  average  for  each  cow 
for  six  months  of  410^  pounds  of  butter.  When  it  is 
remembered  that  the  average  dairy  cow  gives  less  than 
250  pounds  of  butter  per  year,  these  accomplishments  seem 
all  the  more  remarkable.  These  results  were  obtained 
without  withdrawing  a  single  cow  because  of  sickness. 
They  were  fed  on  a  profitable  basis,  each  cow  earning 
over  cost  of  feed  nearly  $40,  or  a  daily  profit  of  43  cents. 

It  is  interesting  to  compare  results  during  the  first  and 
last  part  of  the  test  for  the  purpose  of  showing  the  per- 
sistency of  production  and  endurance.  During  the  first 
ten  days  of  the  test,  the  Jerseys  gave  10,942  pounds  of 
milk,  or  an  average  to  a  cow  a  day  of  43.8  pounds ;  aver- 
age per  cent  of  fat  in  the  milk,  4.25 ;  total  pounds  of  fat, 
466,  or  an  average  to  a  cow  a  day  of  1.86  pounds.  During 
the  last  ten  days  they  gave  9382  pounds  of  milk,  an  aver- 
age of  37.5  pounds  to  a  cow;  average  per  cent  of  fat  in 
the  milk,  5.13;  total  amount  of  fat,  481.1  pounds,  or  an 
average  to  a  cow  each  day  of  1.92  pounds.  While  the  cows 
decreased  in  flow  of  milk,  they  increased  both  in  percent- 
age and  amount  of  fat,  and  a  general  improvement  in  the 
productive  capacity  of  the  Jerseys  is  indicated  by  a  com- 
parison of  the  two  tests. 

Subsequent  records  show  that  the  milking  capacity  of 
the  Jersey  is  being  developed,  without  detriment  to  the 


266 


THE  BEEEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 


rickness  of  her  milk.  A  year's  authenticated  tests  of 
Jerseys,  received  to  July  31,  1915,  show  the  following 
results : 


LBS.  MILK 

LBS.  85% 
BUTTER 

1528  two-year-olds  average     

6,552 

415 

769  three-year-olds  average 

7369 

466 

539  four-year-olds  average    
1461  cows  five  years  old  or  over  average    . 
4297  cows  and  heifers,  all  ages,  average 
Ten  two-year  -olds  average                 • 

8,371 
9,087 

7,784 
12  155 

528 
564 
489 
771 

Ten  three-year-olds  average    
Ten  four-year-olds  average     

13,323 
14,183 

854 
967 

Ten  cows  five  years  old  or  over  average      . 
Best  two-year-old  fat  record  ...     .     . 
Best  three-year-old  fat  record      ... 
Best  four-year-old  fat  record  
Best  fat  record  at  any  age     

16,458 
12,345 
17,793 
16,147 
17,557 

1,067 
960 
1,071 
1,103 
1,175 

Average  percentage  of  fat  in  4297  year's  tests,  5.34 

300.  Other  uses  of  the  Jerseys.  —  The  high  butter-fat 
content  of  Jersey  milk  adapts  it  especially  to  the  produc- 
tion of  high-class  cheese.  At  the  World's  Columbian 
Exposition  it  was  given  first  place  over  the  Guernsey  and 
the  Shorthorn  in  a  cheese-making  test.  The  demand  for 
Jersey  milk  for  the  retail  trade  and  for  butter-making 
allows  but  little  of  it  to  be  made  into  cheese. 

The  Jersey  does  not  pretend  to  be  a  beef-producer. 
The  meat  is  of  good  quality  but  is  off  in  color.  The 
Jersey  dresses  out  too  small  a  percentage  of  marketable 
meat,  compared  with  the  beef  breeds,  to  adapt  it  to  the 
butcher's  block. 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  267 

The  Jerseys  have  been  much  used  for  grading  on  native 
cows  to  increase  milk-  and  butter-production.  Carefully 
selected  bulls  may  be  used  for  this  purpose  with  very 
satisfactory  results  as  the  Jersey  blood  is  very  prepotent. 

301.  Feeding  and  care.  —  Jerseys  have  a  capacity  for 
assimilating  large  quantities  of  food  and  may  be  forced 
to  advantage  when  in  full  flow  of  milk,  as  all  extra  food, 
in  such  case,  is  converted  into  milk.     When  the  milk-flow 
begins  to  slacken,  the  food  should  be  reduced,  especially 
the  concentrates.     The  Jerseys  are  large  eaters  of  rough- 
age and  succulent  feeds,  as  roots. 

On  the  Island  the  method  of  caring  for  the  cows  has 
been  the  same  for  nearly  two  hundred  years.  In  the 
summer  they  are  tethered  in  meadows  and  pastures,  and 
in  the  winter  are  warmly  housed  at  night.  The  same  care 
should  be  taken  in  the  management  of  Jerseys  in  this 
country.  They  should  have  plenty  of  pasture  to  run  on 
in  the  summer,  and  they  should  not  be  confined  in  the 
winter  in  day-time  except  in  very  cold  and  inclement 
weather.  They  should  be  treated  kindly,  as  they  have 
ever  been  on  the  Island.  Nervous  cows  should  be  excluded 
from  the  herd,  as  well  as  those  giving  small  quantities  of 
milk,  and  those  not  persistent  in  their  milk. 

At  one  time  the  Jersey  was  supposed  to  be  delicate,  but 
the  American  breed  of  cows  at  this  time  seems  to  be  con- 
stitutionally as  strong  as  any  other  dairy  breed,  and  not 
more  subject  to  disease  than  other  cattle,  with  possibly 
the  exception  of  milk  fever.  But  since  the  air  treat- 
ment for  this  disease  has  been  used,  this  heretofore  dreaded 
affliction  need  no  longer  be  considered  a  dangerous  disease. 

302.  Distribution.  —  The   Jersey  is   very  widely  dis- 
tributed, due  to  its  wide  adaptation  to  conditions.    As  has 
been  said,  it  is  scattered  through  the  United  States  and 


268  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Canada.  England,  France,  New  Zealand,  Australia  and 
many  other  countries  can  boast  of  large  herds. 

303.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  two  organiza- 
tions which  have  done  so  much  for  the  development  of 
the  Jersey  are  the  Royal  Jersey  Agricultural  and  Horti- 
cultural Society,  organized  in  1833,  and  the  American 
Jersey  Cattle  Club,  organized  in  1868,  whose  offices  are  at 
324  West  Twenty-third  street,  New  York.  In  1866,  the 
first  herd-book  of  the  Island  Society  appeared.  The 
American  Jersey  Cattle  Club  has  published  eighty-six 
volumes  of  its  Herd  Register,  and  the  number  of  registered 
animals  is  479,000,  to  date  (Nov.l,  1915). 

The  American  Jersey  Cattle  Club  has  done  much  to 
develop  and  keep  the  blood  of  the  Jersey  pure  in  this  coun- 
try. The  Club  registers  only  such  animals  in  its  herd 
register  as  can  be  traced  directly  to  the  island  of  Jersey. 
The  Jersey  Bulletin  published  at  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  is 
devoted  exclusively  to  the  interests  of  the  Jersey  cow. 

Other  organizations  are  the  English  Jersey  Cattle 
Society,  the  New  Zealand  Jersey  Cattle  Breeders'  Asso- 
ciation, the  Canadian  Jersey  Cattle  Club,  the  Australasian 
Jersey  Herd  Society,  the  Japanese  Jersey  Cattle  Club, 
and  Le  Syndicat  des  Eleveurs  de  la  Race  Jersiaise  du 
Continent  France.  The  former  has  published  seventeen 
volumes  of  its  herd-book;  the  latter,  organized  in  1903, 
has  published  one  volume  of  its  herd-book. 

Literature.  —  John  Thornton,  History  of  the  Breed  of  Jersey 
Cattle,  Jersey  Bulletin,  Vol.  1  (1883);  Black,  Guide  to  Brittany 
(1873) ;  Report  of  Highland  and  Agricultural  Society  of  Edinburgh, 
1878;  Colonel  Le  Couteur,  On  the  Jersey,  Misnamed  Alderney 
Cow,  Journal  of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  of  England,  Vol.  5 
(1845) ;  C.  P.  Le  Cornu,  The  Agriculture  of  the  Islands  of  Jersey, 
Guernsey,  Alderney  and  Sark,  Journal  of  the  Royal  Agricultural 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  269 

Society  of  England,  Vol.  20  (1859) ;  Ernest  Mathews,  The  Jersey 
Cow,  Little  Shardeloes,  Amersham,  Bucks ;  John  S.  Linsley,  Jersey 
Cattle  in  America,  New  York  (1885) ;  W.  P.  Hazard,  The  Jersey, 
Alderney  and  Guernsey  Cow,  Philadelphia  (1872). 


GUERNSEY  CATTLE.    Plate  IX.     Figs.  45,  46. 
By  William  H.  Caldwell 

304.  The  Guernsey  is  one  of  the  four  leading  breeds 
of  dairy  cattle.      They  constitute,  with  the  Jerseys,  the 
Channel  Island  cattle  and  are  noted  for  butter-produc- 
tion. 

305.  History  in  Guernsey.  —  The  Guernsey  breed  of 
cattle  originated  and  was  developed  on  the  island  of 
Guernsey,   which  is  one   of  the   Channel   islands.     The 
foundation  of  the  breed  lay  in  the  admixture  of  the  large, 
red  Normandy,   and  the  little    black    Brittany  breeds, 
which  were  brought  from  the  neighboring  coast  of  France 
to  the  Island.     It  has  been  generally  accepted  that  the 
large  red  Normandy  males  predominated  in  crossing  on 
the  little  black  Brittany  cows  on  Guernsey,  and  that  the 
Guernsey  takes  many  of  its  characteristics  from  the  Nor- 
mandy breed.     The  fact  that  for  nearly  one  hundred  years 
no  live  cattle  have  been  permitted  to  come  on  the  Island, 
is  enough  to  say  that  the  breed  has  remained  pure,  and 
been  bred  by  itself  without  admixture  of  foreign  blood. 
The    Royal    Guernsey    Agricultural    and    Horticultural 
Society  is  largely  responsible  for  the  improvement  of  the 
breed. 

Little  more  can  be  said  of  the  history  of  the  breed  on 
the  Island.  The  shrewd,  careful,  sturdy  islander,  while 
zealously  guarding  the  purity  of  the  breed,  paid  little 


270  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

attention  to  the  breeding  and  development  of  his  cattle. 
In  fact,  on  the  Island,  the  glasshouse  and  bulb  industry 
supplanted  that  of  the  cows  in  the  islander's  mind.  The 
cattle  were  never  bred  to  the  dictate  of  fashion,  but 
developed  by  themselves  into  a  hardy,  sturdy  breed, 
commonly  spoken  of  as  "  the  old-time  yellow  and  white 
cow  —  the  farmer's  cow." 

306.  History  in  America.  —  In  1818,  a  pair  of  cattle 
were  secured  from  the  island  of  Alderney,  by  Reuben 
Haines,  of  Germantown,  Pennsylvania.  These  may  have 
been  Guernseys.  The  first  definite  record  of  importation 
of  Guernseys  into  this  country  was  about  1833,  when  a  sea 
captain,  stopping  at  the  Island,  brought  to  this  country  a 
pair  of  young  animals  that  were  sent  to  his  brother  on 
what  is  known  as  Cow  Island,  in  Lake  Winnepesaukee, 
New  Hampshire.  Traces  of  this  importation  are  still  to 
be  found  in  some  Guernseys  in  that  state.  Guernseys 
were  introduced  into  private  dairies  around  Philadelphia 
as  early  as  1840,  and  are  still  to  be  found  in  the  dairies  of 
some  of  those  families  who  first  introduced  them  there. 
About  1865,  a  few  Guernseys  were  brought  over  by  the 
Fowlers,  who  were  importing  Jerseys,  and  in  some  herds 
animals  can  be  traced  to  the  importations  of  that  period. 
In  June,  1871,  James  M.  Codman,  now  President  of  the 
American  Guernsey  Cattle  Club,  selected  eight  cows  and 
a  bull  on  the  island  of  Guernsey,  and  imported  them. 
These  few  cows  made  a  high  reputation  for  themselves, 
and  a  number  of  owners  of  gentlemen's  estates  near  Boston 
were  attracted  by  their  merits.  This  led  the  Massachu- 
setts Society  for  Promoting  Agriculture  to  send,  in  1874, 
one  of  their  members  to  import  a  herd,  which  was  main- 
tained by  the  Society  for  a  short  time,  and  then  sold  at 
auction  to  its  members.  This  was  followed  by  a  number 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  271 

of  Connecticut  farmers  joining  together,  and  sending  a 
representative  to  the  Island  to  bring  over  a  shipment. 
These  importations  laid  the  foundation  of  the  Guernsey 
in  this  country,  and  led  to  the  establishment  of  the  herd 
register. 

The  first  real  public  introduction  of  the  breed  was  in 
connection  with  the  dairy  test  conducted  by  the  New 
York  and  New  Jersey  Agricultural  Experiment  Stations, 
when  the  various  breeds  were  tried,  and  the  Guernsey 
made  a  most  creditable  record,  the  figures  showing  them 
to  be  the  most  economical  producers  of  cream  and  butter, 
ranking  the  lowest  in  cost  of  food  to  produce  a  pound  of 
butter-fat,  and  in  the  cost  of  food  for  maintenance  for  a 
year.  The  Guernseys  and  the  sister  Channel  island  breed 
(the  Jersey)  stood  first  in  the  annual  production  of  butter, 
and  the  profit  resulting  from  sale  of  cream.  Their  next 
appearance  was  at  the  World's  Columbian  Exposition  at 
Chicago,  in  1893,  where  amidst  rules  and  conditions  which 
failed  to  credit  the  breed  fully  on  some  of  its  special 
characteristics,  the  Guernseys  ranked  ahead  on  flavor 
and  had  the  advantage  on  color  of  butter,  and,  as  in  the 
Experiment  Station  trials,  stood  with  the  Jerseys  in  the 
front  rank  as  butter-producers.  The  last  public  appear- 
ance of  the  breed  was  at  the  Pan-American  Exposition  at 
Buffalo,  where  after  a  careful  six  months'  test,  the  Guern- 
seys were  awarded  the  first  prize  for  the  greatest  net 
profit  in  the  production  of  butter-fat,  and  also  in  the 
production  of  churned  butter.  The  Guernsey  cows  in 
this  trial  made  butter  at  the  lowest  cost  a  pound,  and  re- 
turned the  greatest  profit  in  butter-production  for  the 
investment  of  feed.  They  also  ranked  in  the  production 
of  total  solids  next  to  the  heavier  milking  breeds.  Group- 
ing the  cows  in  this  test  as  a  whole,  the  Guernsey  cow, 


272 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


Mary  Marshall,  made  the  greatest  net  profit  of  any  cow 
in  production  of  butter,  and  viewed  from  the  same  stand- 
point, we  find  three  of  the  five  Guernseys  among  the  best 
five  cows  in  the  entire  fifty. 

307.  Description  (Figs.  45,  46).  —  "  We  recognize  that 
the  Guernsey  should  be  — 

"  (1)  A  dairy  animal  with  a  distinctive  dairy  tempera- 
ment and  conformation,  having  a  strong,  nervy  structure 

with  a  corresponding 
flow  of  nervous  energy, 
and  every  indication 
of  capacity  and  vital- 
ity. 

"(2)  In  color  of 
hair,  a  shade  of  fawn, 
with  white  on  limbs 
and  under  part  of 
body,  are  considered 
the  prevailing  markings,  and  some  degree  of  uniformity 
is  desirable. 

"  (3)  One  of  the  important  distinguishing  features  of 
the  breed  is  the  presence  of  a  yellow  color  in  the  pigment 
of  the  skin,  wrhich  is  indicative  of  rich  golden  color  in  the 
milk.  This  is  very  pronounced  in  the  Guernsey  and  held 
by  her  to  the  greatest  extent  under  all  conditions  of  sta- 
bling and  feed.  The  intensity  of  this  trait  is  more  marked 
in  some  animals  and  families  than  in  others,  but  it  should 
be  kept  at  the  highest  standard.  It  is  fast  being  recog- 
nized that  this  color  is  accompanied  by  a  superior  flavor 
in  the  milk  and  thus  in  the  butter. 

Dairy  temperament.  — "  By  '  dairy  temperament '  is 
meant  a  strong,  overruling  predisposition  or  tendency  to 
turn  the  consumption  of  food  towards  the  production  of 


FIG.  45.  —  Guernsey  bull. 


THE  DAIRY  BBEEDS    OF  CATTLE 


273 


milk  with  a  high  content  of  solids,  especially  butter-fat, 
as  against  the  constitutional  tendency,  so  often  seen,  to 
turn  food  into  flesh.  Even  in  the  strongest  dairy  breeds 
there  are  more  or  less  frequent  outcrops  in  male  and  fe- 
male of  the  flesh-making  temperament.  To  breed  from 
such  animals,  while  we  are  striving  to  establish  a  pre- 
potent dairy  temperament  or  tendency,  is  not  wise.  All 
cattle  bred  specifically  for  dairy  purposes  should  possess 
a  jclear  and  decided  dairy  temperament,  for  it  is  that 
quality  of  character 
we  most  desire  to 
establish,  enlarge  and 
perpetuate  in  the 
Guernsey  cow. 

"  This  is  especially 
indicated  by  the  shape 
of  the  head,  showing 
brain   capacity,   wide 
muzzle,  open  nostril, 
full,  bright  eyes,  fem- 
inine neck,  and  a  construction  of  the  backbone  indicating 
a  strong  flow  of  nerve-power  and  support  from  the  brain 
to  all  of  the  maternal  organs. 

Constitution.  —  "In  breeding  our  domestic  animals, 
especially  for  long  service  like  the  dairy  cow,  it  is  very 
important  that  they  should  have  abundant  vital  power, 
which  we  call  '  constitution.'  But  constitution  must  be 
judged  and  measured  by  the  peculiar  function  the  animal 
is  bred  to  fulfill.  With  the  race-horse  the  function  is 
speed;  with  the  steer,  the  laying  on  of  flesh;  with  the 
dairy  cow,  the  production  of  milk  solids.  In  all  these 
various  functions,  the  animal  that  is  to  represent  any  one 
of  them  must  show  not  only  large  capacity  in  the  line  of 


274  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

that  function,  but  also  the  ability  to  endure  long  and  well 
the  strain  of  such  function,  and  keep  in  good  health. 
Constitution  is  best  indicated  by  a  full  development  at 
the  navel,  and  strong  abdominal  walls,  showing  that  the 
animal,  when  in  a  prenatal  state,  was  abundantly  nourished 
by  the  mother  through  a  well-developed  umbilical  cord. 

Prepotency.  —  "In  the  scale  for  bulls,  for  the  first  time, 
we  believe,  in  the  history  of  dairy  breeds,  this  point  is 
introduced.  The  reason  we  have  included  it  is  that  '  pre- 
potency '  is  the  chief  consideration  in  the  selection  of  a 
male  breeding  animal.  The  pedigree  and  conformation 
is  often  all  that  can  be  desired,  but  because  the  bull  is 
lacking  in  prepotent  breeding  power  he  is  an  expensive 
failure.  This  quality  is,  in  a  sense,  difficult  to  perceive 
or  describe,  but  we  know  certain  animals  have  it  in  high 
degree  and  others  fail  of  it  completely.  It  is  fairly  well 
indicated  by  vigor  of  appearance,  strong  resolute  bearing 
and  abundant  nervous  energy.  We  would  distinguish 
this  from  an  ugly  disposition.  A  bull  is  ugly  by  the  way 
he  is  handled  rather  than  by  his  breeding.  What  we  want 
is  strong  impressive  blood.  A  dull  sluggish  spirit  and 
action,  we  consider  indicative  of  a  lack  of  true  dairy  pre- 
potency, but  we  would  prefer  to  breed  to  a  rather  sluggish- 
appearing  bull  with  first-class  rudimentaries  than  to  a 
stylish  one  with  badly  placed  rudimentaries. 

Rudimentary  teats.  —  "  We  consider  that  a  well-balanced 
and  well-shaped  udder  in  the  cow  is  largely  due  to  the 
way  the  rudimentary  teats  are  placed  on  the  sire.  If  they 
are  crowded  close  together  the  result  is  likely  to  be  narrow, 
pointed  udders.  If  they  are  placed  well  apart,  of  good 
size  and  well  forward  of  the  scrotum,  the  effect,  we  think, 
will  be  to  influence  largely  the  production  of  well-shaped 
udders  in  the  resulting  heifers,  and  counteract  the  tendency 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  275 

to  ill-shaped  udders  inheritable  from  dams  deficient  in  this 
respect.  We  believe  the  future  excellence  of  the  Guernsey 
cow  will  be  greatly  aided  by  close  attention  on  the  part 
of  her  breeders  to  this  point." 

The  temperament  of  both  the  bulls  and  cows  of  this 
breed  is  very  quiet  and  uniform.  The  bulls  are  very 
tractable  and  the  cows  have  been  developed  and  handled 
on  the  Island  in  a  way  that  would  indicate  gentleness  and 
quietude. 

308.  Use  for  milk,  cream  and  butter.  —  The  chief 
characteristic  of  the  Guernsey  is  her  economical  production 
of  the  highest  natural  colored  milk,  cream  and  butter. 
In  this  she  has  excelled  and  proved  herself  in  all  impartial 
trials.  In  England,  and  to  a  growing  extent  in  this  coun- 
try, there  is  an  impression  that  with  this  natural  high 
color  of  her  products  there  is  a  special  and  very  desirable 
flavor.  While  the  Guernsey  is  preeminently  a  cream  and 
butter  breed,  it  has  been  found  within  the  last  few  years 
that  the  color  and  flavor  of  her  milk,  combined  with  a 
good  amount  which  she  is  able  to  produce,  has  placed  her 
a  favorite  in  catering  to  the  choicest  trade  in  the  sale  of 
milk  and  cream.  To-day,  in  nearly  all  our  largest  towns 
and  cities,  this  trade  will  be  found  supplied  with  the 
products  of  full-blood  and  grade  Guernseys. 

This  characteristic  has  appealed  to  two  classes  of 
dairymen  —  the  progressive  ones  who  are  producing 
strictly  high-class  dairy  products  for  a  critical  trade, 
from  which  the  highest  returns  are  secured,  and  those 
who  desire  the  best  flavored  and  colored  milk,  cream  and 
butter  for  use  on  their  private  estate.  To  the  former,  the 
fact  that  in  impartial  trials  the  Guernsey  has  shown  greater 
returns  for  a  dollar  invested  in  food  when  cream  or  butter, 
and  even  high-grade  milk,  is  produced,  is  sufficient  to  win 


276  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

for  her  a  good  trial.  Wherever  her  golden-colored  products 
are  shown  they  are  sure  to  win  recognition.  Numerous 
instances  can  be  cited  in  which  the  products  of  herds  of 
Guernseys  are  supplying  such  markets.  A  good  grade 
Guernsey  cow  is  eagerly  sought  in  the  higher-class  dairies. 

The  American  Guernsey  Cattle  Club  was  the  first  to 
establish  an  Advanced  Register  on  a  yearly  basis.  This 
was  done  in  1901,  and  since  this  date  4351  cows  and  young 
heifers  have  entered  with  an  official  test  averaging  8779.91 
pounds  of  milk  and  437.20  pounds  of  butter-fat  and  an 
average  percentage  of  4.979.  The  improvement  which  is 
steadily  being  made  in  the  breed  as  shown  by  the  average 
annual  increase  in  average  fat  production  is  seven  pounds 
per  year  for  the  last  four  years.  During  the  time  since 
the  establishment  of  the  Advanced  Register  the  world's 
record  for  the  production  of  butter-fat  has  been  held  by 
three  different  Guernsey  cows,  the  first  being  made  in 
1905  when  one  cow  produced  14,920.8  pounds  of  milk  and 
857.15  pounds  of  butter-fat.  Another  cow  later  produced 
19,673.00  pounds  of  milk  and  1073.41  pounds  of  butter-fat, 
and  still  another  24,008.00  pounds  of  milk  and  1098.18 
pounds  of  butter-fat. 

309.  Other  uses  of  Guernseys.  —  The  composition  of 
Guernsey  milk  adapts  it  for  the  preparation  of  high-grade 
cheese,  but  because  of  the  demand  for  the  milk,  cream  and 
butter,  it  is  not  used  largely  for  cheese-making. 

While  a  distinctively  dairy  breed,  the  size  of  the  Guern- 
sey allows  her  easily  to  be  converted  as  a  young  animal, 
or  when  past  her  usefulness  as  a  milker,  into  beef.  There 
are  few  prettier  sights  than  those  seen  in  the  meat  divi- 
sion of  the  great  market  of  St.  Petersport  on  the  island  of 
Guernsey,  and  this  testifies  what  can  be  done  with  the 
breed  in  this  respect. 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  271 

The  prepotency  of  the  Guernsey  bull,  or  his  ability  to 
stamp  the  desirable  characteristics  of  the  breed  on  his  off- 
spring, makes  him  most  valuable  for  improving  the  com- 
mon dairy  stock  of  any  section.  If  he  is  employed  intel- 
ligently, he  will  get  grade  cows  yielding  rich  milk,  and 
possessing  good  constitution  and  productivity. 

310.  Distribution.  —  The  even  temperament  of  Guern- 
sey cattle  has  been  very  conducive  to  the  adaptability  of 
the  breed  to  the  various  climates  and  conditions  of  the 
world  at  large.     They  are  found  mainly  on  Guernsey 
island,  in  England,  Canada  and  the  United  States.     The 
only  hindrance  to  their  widespread  introduction  has  been 
the  fact  that  for  the  last  few  years  there  have  not  been 
enough  animals  to  supply  the  demand. 

Since  the  public  has  learned  to  appreciate  the  discrimi- 
nating qualities  of  milk,  cream  and  butter,  the  Guernsey 
cow  has  been  in  great  demand.  Her  distribution  within 
the  last  few  years  has  made  material  gains.  The  transfer 
of  ownership  recorded  in  the  herd  register  shows  that  the 
breed  has  now  an  excellent  footing  in  all  the  prominent 
dairy  sections,  and  every  indication  points  that  the  de- 
mand for  both  pure  breds  and  high-grade  Guernseys  has 
increased  materially  in  the  last  few  years. 

311.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  Royal  Guern- 
sey Agricultural   and   Horticultural   Society  directs  the 
interests  of  the  breed  on  Guernsey  island.      It  maintains 
a  herd-book  for  general  registration.     In  1885,  the  Eng- 
lish Guernsey  Cattle  Society  was  organized.     It  issues  a 
herd-book.     The   American  Guernsey  Cattle   Club    was 
organized  in  1877.     It  has  published  twenty-nine  volumes 
of  the  herd  register,  and  there  were  recorded  in  May,  1915, 
32,320  males  and  55,640  females.     Over  11,114  entries 
were  made  in  1914.     Since  1910  an  official  breed  organ 


278  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

known  as  Guernsey  Breeders'  Journal  has  been  published, 
and  a  department  of  the  herd  register  is  maintained  as  an 
Advanced  Register.  At  the  present  time  there  are  497 
active  members  of  the  American  Guernsey  Cattle  Club 
and  some  3400  breeders  of  Guernseys.  The  headquarters 
of  the  club  are  at  Peterboro,  New  Hampshire. 

Literature.  —  Hazard,  The  Jersey,  Alderney  and  Guernsey  Cow, 
Philadelphia  (1872) ;  herd  register  of  the  American  Guernsey  Cattle 
Club;  Guernsey  Breeders'  Journal,  Published  by  the  American 
Guernsey  Cattle  Club. 

HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN  CATTLE.    Plate  XI.     Figs.  47,  48. 
By  Solomon  Hoxie 

312.  The  Holstein-Friesian  breed  of  cattle  is  the  Ameri- 
can representative  of  the  great  lowland  race  of  cattle 
found  on  the  rich  alluvial  land  in  Europe,  bordering  the 
eastern  shores  of  the  North  sea.     It  is  a  dairy  breed, 
exclusively,  in  this  country. 

313.  History  in  Europe.  —  The  Holstein-Friesian  cattle 
originated   with  the   ancient   Friesland   people,   a   tribe 
which,  at  the  time  of  our  earliest  historical  knowledge  of 
it,  occupied  the  shores  of  the  North  sea,  between  the  river 
Ems  and  the  Rhine.     The  Friesians  were  the  oldest  in- 
habitants  of   Holland,   and   were   known   as   herdsmen, 
hunters  and  fishermen.     Their  history  dates  as  far  back 
as  three  hundred  years  before  Christ.     The  Batavians 
came  two  hundred  years  later.     They  were  likewise  herds- 
men,  but   occupied   themselves   more   particularly   with 
hunting  and  fishing.     Tacitus  says  of  the  Friesians  and 
Batavians  :   "  They  owned  cattle,  not  excelling  in  beauty, 
but  in  number."     The  present  farmers  of  North  Holland 


PLATE  XI.  —  Breed  Types  of  Cattle. 


HOLSTEIN-FRIESIAN  Cow. 


AYRSHIRE   Cow. 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  279 

and  Friesland  are  lineal  descendants  of  these  ancient 
people,  and  the  multitude  of  black  and  white  cattle 
which  they  own  are  lineal  descendants  of  the  cattle  owned 
by  their  ancestors.  In  North  Holland  at  the  present  time 
there  are  some  80,000  head  of  pure-bred  cattle  of  this 
breed,  and  in  Friesland  at  least  125,000.  They  are  found 
in  other  provinces  of  Netherlands  to  a  limited  extent. 

The  lowland  race  of  which  this  breed  is  the  leading 
representative  has  been  the  prolific  mother  of  other  breeds 
in  Europe.  From  it  have  sprung  the  East  Friesian  and 
Oldenberg  breeds  of  Germany,  the  Jutland  breed  of  Den- 
mark, the  Kolmogorian  breed  of  Russia,  and  the  Fla- 
mande  or  Flemish  breed  of  Belgium  and  northern  France. 
These  approach  each  other  in  color,  but  differ  in  other 
important  characteristics.  They  have  been  produced 
largely  by  the  effect  of  different  environments,  and  are 
maintained  in  their  purity,  in  the  different  localities,  by 
well-established  herd-books.  According  to  the  naturalist, 
Low,  also,  before  the  development  of  English  dairy  breeds 
Friesian  cattle  were  imported  into  that  country,  and 
established  especially  in  the  district  of  Holderness  on  the 
north  side  of  the  Humber,  whence  they  extended  north- 
ward through  the  plains  of  Yorkshire.  It  is  asserted  that 
from  the  mixture  of  this  Friesian  breed  with  the  native 
cattle  finally  sprang  the  improved  Shorthorn.  Friesian 
cattle  were  also  made  the  basis  of  the  composite  Rosen- 
stein  breed,  which  was  so  greatly  admired  by  Klippart, 
and  described  by  him  in  his  report  to  the  Board  of  Agri- 
culture of  Ohio  in  1865. 

314.  History  in  America.  —  It  is  probable  that  cattle  of 
this  breed  were  brought  to  America  by  the  early  Dutch 
settlers  and  that  a  few  were  imported  late  in  the  eighteenth 
and  early  in  the  nineteenth  centuries.  The  Holland 


280  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Land  Company  is  reported  as  having  sent  a  few  animals 
to  Cazenovia,  New  York,  in  1795.  William  Jarvis  im- 
ported a  bull  and  two  cows  in  1810,  for  his  farm  at 
Weathersfield,  Vermont.  Another  importation  into  New 
York  State  was  made  in  1825.  The  first  importer,  how- 
ever, to  establish  and  maintain  a  pure-bred  herd,  was 
Winthrop  W.  Chenery,  of  Belmont,  Massachusetts.  He 
made  importations  in  the  years  1852-7-9,  and  1861. 
Until  1871,  these  cattle  were  almost  universally  known  in 
this  country  as  Dutch,  although  as  early  as  1864  the 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture  had  recognized 
them  as  Holstein  cattle.  In  that  year  (1871),  the  Asso- 
ciation of  Breeders  of  Thoroughbred  Holstein  Cattle  was 
organized  with  Mr.  Chenery  at  its  head.  This  gross  error 
in  the  renaming  of  a  well-known  breed  was  regarded  by 
the  Dutch  breeders  as  a  great  injustice  to  them.  They 
protested  vigorously,  and  finally,  unable  to  secure  justice 
directly,  in  1873,  assisted  Thomas  E.  Whiting,  of  Massa- 
chusetts, to  select  and  purchase  a  herd  of  their  cattle, 
pledging  him  to  establish  in  America  a  herd-book  which 
should  maintain  the  correct  name  of  the  breed.  This  herd 
finally  came  into  the  hands  of  the  Unadilla  Valley  Breeders' 
Association,  who,  with  other  owners,  organized  in  1879 
the  Dutch-Friesian  Cattle  Breeders'  Association  of 
America.  A  sharp  controversy  ensued,  which  was  finally 
brought  to  a  close  in  1885,  through  the  union  of  the  con- 
tending bodies  in  the  present  Holstein-Friesian  Associa- 
tion of  America. 

The  significant  history  of  this  breed  in  America  centers 
almost  entirely  about  the  establishment  and  maintenance 
of  a  system  of  advanced  registration.  The  advanced 
registry  system  was  originated  by  Solomon  Hoxie,  while 
secretary  of  the  Dutch-Friesian  Association.  The  neces- 


THE  DAIET  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  281 

sity  for  it  was  suggested  to  him  by  the  fact  that  many 
cattle  of  doubtful  merit  and  unknown  breeding  were  being 
entered  in  the  Holstein  herd-book.  There  was  need  of 
recognized  intrinsic  standards  of  merit  to  serve  as  guides 
in  breeding  and  selection.  Accordingly,  he  induced  the 
Dutch-Friesian  Association  to  maintain  an  Advanced  Regis- 
ter, in  which  cattle  should  be  entered  only  in  case  of  special 
merit,  determined  for  bulls  by  means  of  an  official  scale 
of  points,  and  in  the  case  of  cows  by  an  additional  scale  of 
productiveness.  While  there  was  much  early  opposition 
to  the  Advanced  Register,  it  has  abundantly  demonstrated 
its  value.  Since  about  1894,  it  has  been  recognized  as 
the  chief  means  for  the  advancement  of  the  interests  of 
the  Association  and  of  its  members,  and  its  essential  prin- 
ciples have  been  adopted  by  other  breeders'  organizations 
both  in  America  and  Europe.  It  is  to  be  regretted  that 
descriptions  and  measurements  in  the  practical  operation 
of  the  system  have  been  abandoned.  It  is  also  unfor- 
tunate that  the  Association,  while  admitting  cows  to  the 
advanced  registry  only  on  the  basis  of  the  yield  of  butter- 
fat,  tacitly  sanctions  the  use  of  too  low  a  factor  for  the 
conversion  of  butter-fat  into  butter  records.  The  factor 
80  per  cent,  generally  used,  cannot  be  too  severely  con- 
demned, since  repeated  demonstrations  show  that  good 
marketable  butter  requires  the  presence  in  the  milk  of  at 
least  85.7  per  cent  of  its  weight  of  butter-fat. 

315.  Description.  —  In  color,  the  Holstein-Friesian  is 
invariably  black  and  white.  It  is  specially  characterized 
by  great  constitutional  vigor,  flexibility,  thrift  and  enor- 
mous production  of  milk  of  comparatively  low  percentage 
of  butter-fat.  At  the  present  time,  1915,  as  a  result  of 
mutation,  many  cows  are  producing  milk  through  whole 
lactation  periods  in  quality  exceeding  3.75  per  cent  fat  and 


282 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


FIG.  47.  —  Young  Holstein-Friesian  bull. 


some  are  making  annual  records  of  4,  4.50,  and  even  as 

high  as  5  per  cent  fat. 

The  ideal  type  of  this  breed,  which  has  become  constant 

in  North  Holland  and  Friesland,  is  designated  as  "  milk 

and  beef  form."  This 
form  involves  great 
breadth  and  length 
of  rump ;  superior 
width  of  hips,  with 
loin  slightly  rounded ; 
well-sprung  ribs; 
rounded  body,  with 
the  abdomen  well  held 
up;  a  straight  chine; 
shoulders  slightly 
lower  than  hips  and 
rounded  at  tops,  from 

whence  the  neck  starts  out  level,  or  nearly  so,  and  is 

carried  symmetrically  to  a  finely  formed  throat  and  rather 

long    head,   bearing    a 

broad  muzzle.     It  also 

involves     comparative 

fineness  of  limbs,  and 

quarters  broad  at  sides 

and  rear  without  puffi- 

ness ;  a  capacious  udder 

of  considerable  depth, 

carried  well  forward  in 

front   and   well   up   in 

rear,  and  a  large  development  of  mammary  veins.      An 

animal  of  this  form  will  appear  slightly  wedge-shaped, 

viewed  both  from  front  and  side  (Figs.  47,  48.    Plate  XI). 
This  ideal  type,  however,  varies  with  respect  to  locality 


FIG.  48.  —  Holstein-Friesian  cow. 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  283 

and  breeding  purpose.  It  "  is  identified/'  says  Professor 
Hengerveld,  "  with  their  use,  lodging,  feeding  and  manage- 
ment." The  tendency  of  breeding,  in  the  United  States, 
is  altogether  in  the  direction  of  milk  form. 

The  heifers  mature  rapidly,  and,  if  well  fed,  are  ready  to 
breed  at  twelve  to  fifteen  months  of  age.  As  a  rule,  they 
deliver  their  calves  without  difficulty  and  may  be  relied 
on  to  enter  the  dairy  herd,  productively,  when  two  years 
old. 

316.  Use  for  milk.  —  Freshening  between  two  and  three 
years  old  the  heifers  produce  with  first  calf  about  three- 
fifths  to  three-fourths  the  quantity  of  milk  produced  by 
mature  animals  of  the  breed,  and  if  liberally  supplied  with 
suitable  food  will  produce  8000  to  10,000  pounds  of  milk 
in  one  year.  They  will  continue  their  growth  and  increase 
in  productiveness  until  four  and  one-half  or  five  years  old, 
at  which  age  they  will  reach,  if  in  good  milking  condition, 
an  average  weight  of  1300  pounds.  From  this  time 
forward  average  cows  of  the  breed  will  produce  when  in 
full  flow  of  milk  fifty  to  seventy  pounds  of  milk  daily  or 
12,000  to  14,000  pounds  of  milk  a  year  until  eleven  or 
twelve  years  of  age.  Tests  of  over  two  thousand  ani- 
mals of  all  ages  for  a  lactation  period  not  exceeding  365 
days  show  that  the  average  per  cent  of  fat  is  between  3.3 
and  3.5  and  that  the  total  solids  average  12  per  cent.  In 
Holstein-Friesian  milk  the  solids  not  fat,  to  the  fat,  aver- 
age one  to  two  and  one-half.  That  is,  in  average  Holstein- 
Friesian  milk  for  every  pound  of  fat  will  be  found  not  less 
than  two  and  one-half  pounds  of  solids  not  fat. 

To  the  close  of  the  fiscal  year  1914-15  on  April  30, 
1915,  1992  Holstein-Friesian  cows  and  heifers  had  com- 
pleted tests  covering  a  lactation  period  of  not  exceeding 
365  days  as  follows :  707  full-aged  cows  averaged :  milk, 


284  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

16,248.5  pounds ;  per  cent  fat,  3.41 ;  fat,  554.78  pounds. 
One  hundred  and  thirty-nine  senior  four-year-olds  aver- 
aged:  milk,  15,167.6  pounds;  per  cent  fat,  3.39;  fat, 
513.56  pounds.  One  hundred  and  sixty-three  junior  four- 
year-olds  averaged :  14,479.2  pounds  milk ;  per  cent  fat, 
3.44;  fat,  498.12  pounds.  One  hundred  and  seventy-five 
senior  three-year-olds  averaged  :  milk,  13,841.9  ;  per  cent 
fat,  3.41 ;  fat,  471.77  pounds.  One  hundred  and  seventy- 
six  junior  three-year  averaged:  milk,  13,445.8  pounds; 
per  cent,  3.46 ;  fat,  465.43.  Two  hundred  and  four  senior 
two-year-olds  averaged  :  milk,  13,029.6  pounds ;  per  cent 
fat,  3.49 ;  fat,  454.23  pounds.  Four  hundred  and  twenty- 
eight  junior  two-year-olds  averaged :  milk,  12,^37.4 
pounds;  per  cent  fat,  3.43;  fat,  417.79  pounds.  This 
herd  of  1992  produced  28,610,589.6  pounds  milk  contain- 
ing 980,755.54  pounds  of  butter-fat,  thus  showing  an 
average  of  3.43  per  cent  fat.  The  average  for  each  animal 
was  14,362.7  pounds  milk  containing  492.34  pounds  of 
butter-fat,  and  showing  an  average  of  3.43  per  cent  fat. 

Thirty-four  Holstein-Friesian  cows  and  heifers  have 
produced  within  a  period  of  not  exceeding  365  days  in 
excess  of  850  pounds  fat,  which  is  several  times  the  num- 
ber of  cows  of  all  other  breeds  combined  that  have  pro- 
duced in  excess  of  that  amount  of  fat.  The  first  and  second 
places  in  butter-fat  production  among  cows  of  all  breeds 
is  now  held  by  Holstein-Friesian  cows;  Finderne  Pride 
Johanna  Rue  having  produced  1176.47  pounds  fat  from 
28,403.7  pounds  milk,  and  Finderne  Holingen  Fayne 
having  produced  1116.05  pounds  fat  from  24,612.8  pounds 
milk.  The  California  cow  Tilly  Alcartra  has  exceeded 
all  other  cows  in  milk  production,  having  produced  in 
365  days  30,45 1.4  pounds  milk  containing  951.23  pounds. 
Dozens  of  other  Holstein-Friesian  cows  have  produced 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  285 

very  large  amounts  of  milk  running  between  24,000  and 
29,000  pounds  in  365  consecutive  days.  These  records 
illustrate  the  highest  attainments  of  the  breed  thus  far 
in  the  matter  of  milk-  and  butter-fat  production.  For 
such  production,  the  cow,  of  course,  must  receive  special 
care  and  food,  and  must  be  milked  three  or  four  times  a 
day. 

The  milk  of  this  breed  has  several  peculiar  and  notable 
characteristics.  It  is  not  highly  colored.  "  The  absence 
of  granules,  as  a  predominant  feature,  makes  the  skimmed 
milk  especially  appear  blue."  The  fat  globules  are  com- 
paratively small  and  uniform  in  size.  The  cream,  there- 
fore, rises  slowly,  but  it  is  dense  in  consequence  of  the 
compactness  of  the  globules.  The  milk  is  richer  than  the 
color  or  thickness  of  the  cream  would  indicate.  After 
the  cream  rises  to  the  surface  it  is  easily  re-incorporated 
in  the  milk  by  stirring  or  shaking.  This  renders  the  milk 
more  than  ordinarily  valuable  for  direct  consumption 
purposes,  especially  for  city  supply,  since  it  insures  to  all 
consumers  a  comparatively  uniform  quality.  Moreover, 
both  the  milk  and  the  cream  approach  the  structure  of  the 
corresponding  human  products  more  closely  than  those 
of  any  other  breed  which  has  been  tested  in  this  respect. 
This  leads  to  the  inference  that  the  milk  of  this  breed  is 
superior  to  that  of  any  other  for  the  feeding  of  young 
children.  Recent  experiments  made  at  the  Storrs'  Agri- 
cultural Experiment  Station  in  Connecticut  tend  to  sub- 
stantiate this  inference. 

317.  Use  for  butter.  —  Butter-fat  records  of  the  breed 
have  been  no  less  remarkable.  (See  above.)  In  1894, 
state  agricultural  experiment  stations  began  the  official 
supervision  of  the  testing  of  Holstein-Friesian  cows  at  the 
homes  of  the  owners.  Thousands  of  such  tests  for  a 


286  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

period  of  seven  consecutive  days  have  now  been  made. 
These  tests  are  annually  classified  according  to  the  age  of 
the  cows  at  date  of  calving.  A  summary  of  such  records 
for  a  single  year  will  serve  to  show  the  butter-making 
possibilities  of  the  elite  of  the  breed.  During  the  fiscal 
year  1914-15,  3115  full-aged  cows  averaged:  milk,  475.8 
pounds;  butter-fat,  16,947  pounds.  Six  hundred  and 
sixty-one  senior  four-year-olds  averaged :  milk,  453.6 
pounds;  butter-fat,  16.405  pounds.  Nine  hundred  and 
twenty-eight  junior  four-year-olds  averaged :  milk,  444 
pounds;  butter-fat,  16.076  pounds.  Nine  hundred  and 
fifty-five  senior  three-year-olds  averaged :  milk,  419.4 
pounds;  butter-fat,  14.865  pounds.  One  thousand  two 
hundred  and  three  junior  three-year-olds  averaged  :  milk, 
398. 7  pounds;  butter-fat,  14.194  pounds.  One  thousand 
one  hundred  and  two  senior  two-year-olds  averaged  :  milk, 
360.1  pounds;  butter-fat,  12.603  pounds.  Two  thousand 
seven  hundred  and  seventy-nine  junior  two-year-olds 
averaged  :  milk,  324.1  pounds;  butter-fat,  11.434  pounds. 
Two  thousand  six  hundred  and  twenty-five  cows  of  the 
breed  have  official  records  greater  than  20  pounds  of 
butter-fat  in  seven  days,  and  one  thousand  and  eighty- 
four  cows  of  the  breed  have  official  records  greater  than 
80  pounds  of  butter-fat  in  thirty  days.  Such  records  are 
usually  made  at  ten  to  fifty  days  after  parturition.  A 
lapse  of  at  least  five  days  is  required.  There  can  be  no 
doubt  as  to  the  correctness  of  these  records.  In  many 
cases,  especially  when  the  yield  was  exceptionally  large, 
the  cows  were  re-tested  for  periods  ranging  from  twenty- 
four  to  forty-eight  hours  by  representatives  of  the  experi- 
ment stations,  who  kept  constant  watch  in  order  that  no 
milk  or  cream  should  be  introduced  into  the  udders  sur- 
reptitiously. 


TEE  DAIRY  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  287 

It  is  not  maintained,  of  course,  that  the  average  pure- 
bred Holstein-Friesian  cow  or  heifer  could  produce  equal 
records.  Probably  the  best  one-third  of  all  those  owned 
in  this  country  could  do  so  if  sufficiently  well  fed,  skill- 
fully cared  for  and  milked  three  times  a  day.  It  is  prob- 
able that  in  butter-  as  well  as  in  milk-production,  the 
average  cow  of  this  breed  would  excel  the  average  cow 
of  any  other  known  breed. 

Butter  made  from  the  milk  of  these  cows  is  compara- 
tively mild  in  flavor  and,  if  not  artificially  colored,  is  of  a 
pale  straw-color  in  summer,  when  the  cows  are  fed  on 
grass,  and  of  a  creamy  white  in  winter  when  they  are  fed 
on  hay.  In  keeping  quality  it  ranks  very  high.  The 
butter  of  Friesland  has  long  been  recognized  as  a  standard 
product  in  the  markets  of  Europe,  and  the  butter  of  cows 
of  this  breed  is  steadily  gaining  favor  in  our  own  markets. 

318.  Other   uses   of   Holstein-Friesian    cattle.  —  The 
milk  of  Holstein-Friesian  cattle  makes  a  very  high  grade 
of  cheese,  and  it  has  been  much  used  for  this  purpose  both 
in  Holland  and  in  America.     The  milk  is  rich  in  solids 
other  than  fat. 

This  breed  combines  with  its  great  milk-  and  butter- 
producing  capacity,  valuable  veal  qualities.  Its  calves 
are  very  large  and  vigorous  at  birth,  grow  rapidly  and  are 
exceptionally  free  from  disease,  —  especially  from  that 
which  is  known  as  white  scours.  When  vealed  at  the  end 
of  four  or  five  weeks  they  dress  90  to  120  pounds.  The 
veal  is  of  superior  color,  sweetness  and  tenderness. 

For  crossing  on  grade  cows  to  increase  milk-production 
the  pure-bred  bulls  of  this  breed  give  very  satisfactory 
results. 

319.  Feeding  and  care.  —  The  extraordinary  vigor  of 
cattle  of  this  breed  permits  very  wide  latitude  in  caring 


288  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

for  and  feeding  them.  In  some  sections  of  Holland  "  they 
are  found  on  lands  covered  with  water  plants  and  grass  of 
small  nutritive  value."  In  northern  Russia  they  are 
successfully  kept  in  the  frigid  climate  near  the  Arctic 
circle.  The  only  hard-and-fast  rule  for  feeding  is : 
"  Feed  abundantly  well-balanced  rations."  The  breeders 
in  Holland  and  Friesland  confine  their  cattle  in  their 
stables  constantly  from  the  middle  of  November  through 
the  winter  till  the  middle  of  May,  apparently  without 
injury  to  them,  at  much  less  expense  of  food  and  with 
greater  production  of  milk  than  results  from  the  practice 
of  daily  exposure  to  the  outside  atmosphere,  as  in 
America.  Their  method  requires,  however,  much  greater 
air  space  per  animal,  and  hence  that  they  be  confined  in 
much  larger  buildings.  - 

320.  Distribution.  —  This  race  of  cattle  is  widely  dis- 
tributed on  the  continent  of  Europe,  prevailing  especially 
in  northern  France  and  along  the  shores  of  the  English 
Channel  and  the  North  sea,  as  far  as  Denmark.     It  is  the 
leading  dairy  breed  in  Russia,  occupying  the  shores  of 
the  River  Dwina  and  the  White  sea  nearly  to  the  Arctic 
circle.     It  is  firmly  established  in  nearly  every  province 
of  Germany,  in  Italy,  Sweden  and  Denmark.     It  is  also 
bred  in  South  Africa,  and  is  being  introduced  into  Japan 
and  China.     Introduced  into  the  United  States  less  than 
sixty  years  ago,  it  has  spread  to  every  important  dairy 
section  of  this  country  and  to  Canada,  and  more  recently 
to  Mexico.     It  is  especially  adapted  to  rich,  level  grass- 
lands and  to  densely  populated,  highly  civilized  countries 
in  which  milk  and  its  every  product,  and  veal  of  superior 
quality,  are  in  demand. 

321.  Organizations  and  records.  —  Organizations  for 
the  promotion  of  the  interests  of  this  breed  were  closely 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  289 

associated  with  the  history  of  the  breed  in  America  (which 
see,  page  279) .  It  is  a  singular  fact  that  while  the  thoughts 
and  energies  of  so  many  generations  were  devoted  to  breed- 
ing and  improving  these  cattle,  the  first  public  herd-book 
of  the  breed  was  published  in  1872  by  an  American,  Win- 
throp  W.  Chenery,  of  Belmont,  Massachusetts,  by 
authority  of  the  Association  of  Breeders  of  Thoroughbred 
Holstein  Cattle.  It  was  known  as  the  Holstein  Herd-book. 
Three  years  later  a  herd-book  was  issued  in  the  Nether- 
lands, by  the  Netherland  Herd-book  Association.  It  was 
a  protest  against  naming  Holland  cattle  from  a  German 
province  that  had  no  valid  claim  to  the  origin  of  the  breed. 
In  1879,  the  Dutch-Friesian  Cattle  Breeders'  Association 
was  formed  in  America.  In  the  same  year  the  Friesian 
Herd-book  Association  was  organized  in  the  province  of 
Friesland.  A  few  years  later  the  North  Holland  Herd- 
book  Association  was  organized  and  a  branch  was  estab- 
lished in  America.  The  present  Holstein-Friesian  Asso- 
ciation of  America  was  formed  in  1885  by  the  union  of 
the  Holstein  and  the  Dutch-Friesian  Associations.  It 
limited  importations  to  a  great  extent,  and  in  consequence 
of  this  the  Netherland  and  North  Holland  Associations 
became  nearly  moribund.  Recently,  the  former  has 
adopted  a  system  similar  to  the  American  system  of  ad- 
vanced registration,  and  probably  may  become  an  insti- 
tution of  great  value  to  breeders  in  all  the  provinces  of 
Holland,  with  the  exception  of  Friesland,  where  the  early 
association  was  of  a  similar  character.  The  Western 
Holstein-Friesian  Association  was  organized  in  1892,  and 
published  its  first  and  only  herd-book  in  1895,  containing 
pedigrees  of  2100  cattle.  It  was  united  with  the  Holstein- 
Friesian  Association  of  America  in  1898,  and  its  pedigree 
records  became  a  part  of  the  herd-book  of  the  older  asso- 


290  THE  BREEDS  OP  LIVE-STOCK 

elation.     The   Holstein-Friesian   Association   of   Canada 
was  founded  in  1891. 

The  Holstein-Friesian  Association  of  America  was  in- 
corporated for  the  purpose  of  importing,  breeding,  improv- 
ing and  otherwise  handling  pure-bred  Holstein-Friesian 
cattle,  and  for  gathering  and  publishing  information  in 
regard  to  them.  It  maintains  a  herd-book  and  advanced 
register  of  cattle.  The  entries  to  its  herd-book  have 
reached  over  152,000  bulls,  and  273,000  females.  The 
policy  of  this  association  has  been  to  maintain  the  purity 
of  the  breed  in  America,  to  improve  the  type  by  selection 
of  the  most  superior  animals  for  separate  or  advanced 
registration,  and  to  demonstrate  the  merits  of  the  breed 
through  the  making  of  great  milk  and  butter  records.  It 
has  maintained  a  consistent  advocacy  of  tests  at  the 
homes  of  owners  under  the  strictest  supervision  of  agricul- 
tural experiment  stations.  In  this  respect  it  took  the 
initiative,  and  has  compelled  other  breeders'  associations 
to  follow. 

Literature.  —  Holstein  Herd-book,  9  volumes,  1872-1885 ;  Dutch- 
Friesian  Herd-book,  4  volumes,  1880-1885;  Holstein-Friesian 
Herd-book,  33  volumes,  1885-1915;  Holstein-Friesian  Ad- 
vanced Register,  26  volumes,  1887-1915;  Breeds  of  Dairy  Cattle, 
15th  Report,  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture;  Friesian  Cattle,  Twentieth  Report,  Ohio 
State  Board  of  Agriculture;  Reports  of  New  York  State  Dairy- 
men's Association  for  1878-1880;  Holstein-Friesian  Cattle,  S. 
Hoxie,  Holstein-Friesian  Association,  third  edition,  1904;  Ad- 
vanced Registration,  S.  Hoxie,  in  Proceedings  of  the  American 
Association  of  Live-stock  Herd-book  Secretaries,  1904,  C.  F.  Mills, 
Editor;  The  North  Holland  or  Friesian  Breed,  Utica,  Curtis  and 
Childs  (1884),  S.  Hoxie,  Editor;  Records  of  Dairy  Cows  in  the 
United  States,  C.  B.  Lane,  Government  Printing  Office,  Washington, 
D.  C.  (1905) ;  History  of  the  Holstein-Friesian  Breed,  Brattleboro, 
Vermont  (1897),  F.  L.  Houghton;  Cattle  and  Dairy  Farming, 


THE  DAIET  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  291 

United  States  Consular  Reports,  1887;  Holstein  Cattle,  Dudley 
Miller;  Die  Rindviehzucht  im  In  und  Auslande,  J.  Hansen  and 
A.  Hermes,  Leipzig,  Carl  Schmidt  &  Co.,  2  volumes  (1905) ;  Friesch 
Rundvee  Stamboek,  32  volumes,  1880-1906;  The  Holstein-Friesian 
Yearbook,  1901-1912,  12  volumes,  F.  L.  Houghton;  Western  Hol- 
stein-Friesian Herd-book,  1  volume,  1895,  Western  Holstein-Friesian 
Association;  The  Holstein-Friesian  Register,  Brattleboro,  Ver- 
mont, F.  L.  Houghton ;  The  Holstein-Friesian  World,  Eastern  and 
Western  Editions  alternating  weekly,  Lacona,  New  York  and 
Madison,  Wisconsin,  the  former  edited  by  Hastings  and  Pres- 
cott,  the*  latter  by  C.  B.  Brown  and  Son. 


AYRSHIRE  CATTLE.    Plate  X.     Figs.  49,  50. 
By  Harry  Hayward 

322.  The  Ayrshire  is  one  of  the  four  principal  breeds  of 
dairy    cattle    in    America.       Their    popularity    is   more 
recent   than   that  of  the    three  other  breeds,  but   they 
are  making  rapid  gains  in  favor. 

323.  History  in  Scotland.  —  The  Ayrshire  did  not  have 
its  origin  in  this  country,  but  was  brought  from  Scotland, 
its  native  home,  in  the  early  part  of  the  last  century.     It 
takes  its  name  from  the  county  Ayr,  although  in  its  for- 
mative period  it  was  known  as  the  Dunlop  and  the  Cun- 
ningham breed. 

From  the  descriptions  of  Ayr  and  the  adjacent  territory, 
given  by  Low,  an  English  writer  on  agricultural  matters, 
it  may  be  inferred  that  agricultural  conditions  in  that 
country,  at  the  close  of  the  Revolutionary  War,  were  at 
a  low  ebb.  "  There  were  no  fallows,  no  sown  grasses,  no 
carts  nor  wagons  and  no  straw  yards;  no  roots  were 
grown,  very  little  straw  and  no  hay,  save  the  small  amounts 
cut  from  the  bogs  and  wastes.  Under  these  conditions 


292  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

the  cattle  were  starved  in  winter,  being  scarcely  able  to 
rise  in  the  spring,  and  never  were  in  condition  fit  for  the 
market."  Such  were  the  conditions  from  which  the  hardy, 
useful  race  of  Ayrshire  cattle  has  come.  Culley,  who 
wrote  a  treatise  on  live-stock  before  the  year  1790,  does 
not  mention  the  Ayrshire  as  one  of  the  recognized  breeds 
of  the  country.  From  this  we  may  conclude  that  their 
history  as  a  breed  begins  some  time  shortly  after  the  first 
of  the  past  century ;  previous  to  that  time,  they  were  one 
of  the  coarse  varieties  of  cattle  which  formerly  occupied 
all  of  the  southern  part  of  the  country. 

The  earliest  recognition  which  they  received  as  a  breed 
was  given  by  a  Mr.  Aiton,  who  published  a  treatise  on  the 
Dairy  Husbandry  of  Ayrshire,  in  1825.  He  describes 
them,  according  to  Low,  as  being  a  puny,  unshapely  race, 
not  superior  to  the  cattle  of  the  higher  districts,  referring, 
perhaps,  to  the  West  Highland  or  Kyloe  cattle.  He 
further  states  that  the  Ayrshires,  at  that  time,  were  mostly 
black  in  color,  marked  with  white  in  the  face,  down  the 
back  and  flank,  and  that  few  of  the  cows  gave  more  than 
a  gallon  and  a  half  or  two  gallons  of  milk  per  day  when 
fresh.  They  were  very  small  in  size,  so  small  that  the 
average  dressed  weight  of  mature  animals  was  but  two 
hundred  and  eighty  pounds. 

This  description  was  written,  it  is  asserted,  after  the  in- 
troduction into  the  Ayrshire  district  of  the  cattle  descended 
from  the  crosses  made  with  the  Teeswater  or  Holderness 
stock  from  Durham,  England.  The  Earl  of  Marchmont 
is  supposed  to  have  brought  this  foreign  blood  into  Scot- 
land between  1724  and  1740.  This  importation  of  a  bull 
and  several  cows  was  taken  to  the  earl's  estates  in  Ber- 
wickshire on  the  east  coast  of  Scotland. 

It  has  been  thought  that  the  Alderney  (presumably, 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  293 

Jersey)  cross  was  also  introduced  into  the  Ayrshire  district 
at  this  time.  An  evidence  that  the  Jersey  was  used  is 
the  small  head  and  slender  neck  possessed  in  common  by 
both  these  breeds.  In  spite  of  the  lack  of  historical  evi- 
dence that  Jersey  cattle  were  crossed  on  the  old  Ayrshire 
stock,  Low  concludes  that  the  "  Dairy  Breed  of  Ayrshires 
owes  the  characteristics  which  distinguish  it  from  the 
older  race  to  mixture  with  the  blood  races  of  the  continent 
and  of  the  Dairy  Breeds  of  Alderney." 

From  the  above,  we  may  rightly  infer  that  the  condi- 
tions which  surrounded  the  foundation  of  the  Ayrshire 
breed  were  such  that  the  fittest  only  could  survive. 
This  factor  of  hardiness  was  apparently  but  little  dis- 
turbed, if  any,  when  the  Teeswater  cross  was  made. 
Hardihood  has  been  so  closely  interwoven  with  every 
fiber  of  the  Ayrshires  that  they  are  to-day  the  most  hardy 
of  all  breeds  of  dairy  cattle,  with  the  possible  exception 
of  the  Irish  Kerry.  It  is  probable  that  the  Teeswater 
cross  eventually  increased  the  milk-producing  ability  of 
the  Ayrshire. 

What  is  true  of  many  of  our  improved  breeds  of  cattle 
is  true,  also,  of  the  Ayrshire :  that  no  one  breeder  stands 
out  prominently  from  his  fellows  as  the  great  improver 
of  the  breed.  The  dairy-farmers  of  Ayr  and  the  adjacent 
counties  worked  together  for  the  common  purpose  of 
developing  a  hardy,  active  race  of  cattle  adapted  to  the 
humid  climate  and  sparse  hillside  pastures,  as  well  as  a 
race  that  would  produce  the  maximum  amount  of  milk 
when  fed  on  chaffed  straw  and  roots  during  the  long  winters 
of  Scotland.  Their  success  is  indicated  by  the  very  large 
number  of  exportations  from  Scotland  to  other  countries. 

324.  History  in  America.  —  Ayrshire  cattle  were  first 
imported  into  America  between  1820  and  1830.  Import  a- 


294  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

tions  continued  to  be  made  into  the  eastern  states  with 
more  or  less  regularity  up  to  about  the  beginning  of  the 
Civil  War.  Importations  are  thought  to  have  been  made 
in  1822  by  H.  W.  Hills,  of  Windsor,  Connecticut ;  about 
1837  by  John  P.  Cushing,  of  Massachusetts,  and  in  1848 
by  E.  A.  Brown,  of  Ohio.  While  the  imported  cattle 
gave  their  owners  entire  satisfaction  as  far  as  hardiness, 
ease  of  keeping  and  milk-production  were  concerned,  they 
failed  to  find  much  favor  where  the  milking  is  done  by 
men,  because  of  the  shortness  of  their  teats.  In  Canada 
and  in  Scotland,  where  women  milk  by  stripping  with  the 
thumb  and  forefinger,  this  fault  was  not  the  serious  objec- 
tion that  it  was  in  eastern  United  States.  It  is  possible, 
too,  that  another  reason  why  the  Ayrshire  did  not  grow  in 
favor  more  rapidly  was  that  the  center  of  the  breed,  in 
its  early  history  in  the  United  States,  was  in  New  England, 
and  in  the  hands  of  dairy-farmers.  The  cattle  were  kept 
for  practical  purposes,  and  but  little  attention  was  paid 
to  breed  characteristics,  to  exhibiting  at  the  fairs,  or  to 
advertising  the  merits  of  the  breed  in  any  other  way. 

325.  Description.  —  The  individual  Ayrshire  (Plate 
XI)  is  an  animal  of  medium  size,  the  standard  weight 
for  mature  cows  being  one  thousand  pounds,  while  bulls 
should  weigh  fifteen  hundred  pounds  or  more  (Figs. 
49,  50).  In  general  conformation  it  is,  perhaps,  a  little 
smoother  than  the  Jersey  and  Holstein,  yet  it  is  not  so 
smooth  as  to  conceal  the  wedge  shape  of  the  body  when 
viewed  from  behind.  A  little  peculiarity  frequently  seen 
in  the  Ayrshire  is  that  the  tips  of  the  ears  are  frequently 
notched.  The  horns  are  white,  with  black  tips,  and 
curve  outward  and  upward.  They  may  attain  large  size. 
The  body  is  large  and  deep  and  the  ribs  well  sprung ;  the 
rump  is  broad  and  long,  and  is  usually  set  high.  The 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE 


295 


hind-quarter  is  frequently  heavy.     The  udder  in  a  good 
dairy  type  shows  high  development  of  form  and  setting. 
This  character  is  rather 
uniform   in  the  breed. 
The  color  is  variable, 
through  red,  white  and 
brown.      The    prevail- 
ing  color    in    America 
is      red      and      white 
patches,  with  a  tend- 
ency    toward    a    pre- 
dominance     Of     White.  FIG.  49. -Ayrshire  bull. 
In      disposition       the 

Ayrshire  is  mild  and  kind,  yet  alert,  active  and  ener- 
getic. The  evidence  she  gives  of  being  full  of  reserve 
force  is  one  of  her  strongest  characteristics. 

326.   Types    of    Ayrshire    cattle.  —  The    event    which 
served  to  bring  the  Ayrshires  from  their  obscurity  in 

America,  and  but  for 
which  they  might  still 
have  been  compara- 
tively unknown,  was 
the  World's  Columbian 
Exposition,  held  in 
Chicago  in  1893.  At 
this  great  World's  Fair 
two  distinct  types  of 
Ayrshire  cattle  ap- 


FIG. 50.  —  Ayrshire  cow. 


peared  in  competition: 
the  American  or  New 
England  type,  which,  having  received  no  fresh  infusion  of 
blood  from  the  mother  country  for  many  years,  had  be- 
come to  all  intents  and  purposes  another  breed,  and  the 


296  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Canadian  or,  more  properly,  the  Scotch  type.  This  type 
was  represented  solely  by  animals  that  conformed  to  the 
type  generally  held  by  every  one  but  American  breeders 
to  be  the  correct  one,  and  many  individuals  had  been 
prize-winners  at  the  important  agricultural  shows  in 
Scotland. 

The  New  England  cattle  differed  from  those  of  Scotch 
type  in  that  they  were  a  little  shorter  in  the  leg,  heavier 
bodied,  and  possessed  better  handling  qualities.  Their 
udders,  while  large  and  capacious,  were  hardly  level  and 
square,  and  in  many  cases  were  rather  pendulous.  The 
teats  were  of  good  size  and  length,  and  of  a  dark  or  tan 
color ;  the  horns  frequently  were  crumpled,  and  the  colors 
were  dark-brown  or  cherry-red,  flecked  with  white.  While 
these  cattle  possessed  unquestioned  dairy  merits,  they  did 
not  have  the  uniformity  of  type  that  should  be  charac- 
teristic of  a  recognized  breed. 

The  Scotch  cattle  were  longer  and  not  relatively  so  deep 
in  the  body  as  their  competitors ;  a  trifle  longer  in  the 
leg;  hardly  so  rugged,  perhaps;  straighter  from  the 
poll  to  tail-head ;  possessed  of  large,  square,  level  udders, 
whose  front  quarters  were  particularly  well-developed, 
closely  attached  to  the  body,  with  teats  ideally  placed, 
but  too  often  not  only  small  in  size  but  very  short  in 
length.  It  is  stated  by  some  authorities  that  a  closely 
attached  udder  is  very  rarely  found  with  long  teats. 
Other  characteristics  of  these  Scotch  Ayrshires  were  their 
heavy  skins,  broad  upward-turned  horns,  and  their  color, 
which  was  white,  with  varying  shades  of  red  spots  on 
the  head  and  neck;  frequently  there  were  larger  or 
smaller  spots  on  the  body,  but,  in  most  cases,  at  least,  the 
white  predominated.  Furthermore,  all  of  the  cattle  ex- 
hibited by  the  Canadians  showed  a  uniformity  of  breed 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE  297 

character  or  type  that  was  very  plainly  manifest  to  the 
most  casual  observer.  It  was  this  uniformity,  as  well  as 
their  distinctive  showy  attractiveness,  that  drew  to  the 
foreign  cattle  the  attention  of  the  visitors  in  the  stadium, 
as  well  as  that  of  the  American  breeders  in  and  outside 
of  the  judging  arena. 

The  judge  on  this  occasion  had  been  selected  from 
Canada,  and,  naturally,  was  partial  to  the  Scotch  type. 
As  a  consequence,  most  of  the  prizes  went  to  the  Canadian 
exhibitors.  While  the  American  exhibitors  were  bitterly 
disappointed,  the  decisions  made  at  Chicago  have  had  a 
far-reaching  effect  in  changing  the  type  of  Ayrshire  cattle 
in  America.  Since  that  time  the  majority  of  the  most 
progressive  breeders  either  have  made  direct  importations 
from  Scotland,  or  have  placed  at  the  head  of  their  herds 
bulls  of  the  Scotch  type.  This  is  particularly  true  of  those 
who  exhibit  at  the  leading  fairs.  And,  when  competition 
comes  between  this  and  the  old  New  England  type,  the 
former  nearly  always  wins. 

The  question  of  type  had  become  so  confusing  that 
early  in  the  year  1906  the  officials  of  the  American, 
Canadian  and  Scotch  Ayrshire  breeders'  associations 
recognized  it  as  worthy  of  their  attention.  The  result 
was  that  they  agreed  on  a  uniform  scale  of  points,  which 
was  intended  to  serve  as  a  guide  for  the  breeders  of  all 
three  associations. 

Breeders  of  these  cattle  have  never  practiced  inbreed- 
ing to  any  great  extent,  and  there  are  few  well-defined 
families  or  strains,  as  in  other  breeds. 

327.  Uses  for  milk  and  butter.  —  In  point  of  milk-yield 
alone,  the  Ayrshire  does  not  compare  favorably,  individual 
for  individual,  with  the  Holstein,  nor  in  butter-production 
alone  with  either  the  Jersey  or  Guernsey.  But  in  the 


298  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

yield  of  milk  and  butter,  on  rough,  hilly  pastures,  or  with- 
out heavy  grain-feeding  in  the  winter,  the  Ayrshire  is  in  a 
class  by  herself.  It  is  difficult  to  give  figures  of  produc- 
tion that  are  at  all  representative,  since  as  much,  if  not 
more,  depends  on  the  system  of  care  and  management  as 
on  the  cow  herself.  From  reports  of  a  number  of  herds 
which  may  be  considered  reliable,  as  indicating  the  dairy 
qualities  of  the  Ayrshire  breed,  it  may  be  stated  that 
herds  numbering  twenty  animals,  of  all  ages,  will  yield,  as 
an  average,  6500  pounds  of  milk  and  300  pounds  of 
butter-fat.  This  estimate  presupposes  that  the  herd  is  fed 
for  profit,  but  not  forced  in  any  sense  of  the  word.  A 
number  of  herds  fed  a  liberal  allowance  of  grain  the  year 
round,  and  managed  with  the  view  of  yielding  the  maxi- 
mum amount  of  milk  and  butter,  have  averaged  over  8000 
pounds  of  milk  and  350  pounds  of  butter-fat.  Because 
the  Ayrshire  cow  is  perhaps  not  capable  of  making  forced 
weekly,  or  even  yearly,  milk  and  butter  records  equal  to 
those  of  some  of  the  other  breeds,  and  furthermore,  be- 
cause she  has  been  so  completely  in  the  hands  of  practical 
dairymen,  she  has  never  been  forced  in  her  production  in 
the  generally  accepted  sense  of  the  term.  As  a  conse- 
quence, the  cows  of  this  breed  are  in  a  more  normal  con- 
dition than  those  of  almost  any  other. 

Because  the  butter-fat  globules  are  small,  the  cream  does 
not  rise  so  quickly  as  in  the  case  of  some  of  the  other  dairy 
breeds,  and  as  a  consequence  Ayrshire  milk  is  well  adapted 
for  shipping  to  city  markets,  and  for  use  as  a  beverage. 

328.  Other  uses  of  Ayrshires.  —  It  was  formerly 
thought  that  Ayrshire  milk  was  peculiarly  adapted  to 
cheese-making.  With  our  present-day  information  on 
this  subject,  however,  this  view  is  no  longer  generally  held, 
although  the  milk  is  used  for  this  purpose. 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  299 

As  far  as  a  dairy  cow  can  be  a  beef  animal,  the  Ayrshire 
probably  excels,  for  the  reason  that  she  is  a  little  smoother 
in  conformation  than  the  other  dairy  breeds,  and  the  fat 
of  the  carcass,  instead  of  being  yellow,  which  is  objection- 
able to  the  consumer,  is  white. 

An  Ayrshire  bull  at  the  head  of  a  grade  herd  will  greatly 
increase  milk-production  in  its  progeny.  When  used  on 
grade  cows  the  standard  of  the  herd  will  be  materially 
elevated. 

329.  Distribution.  —  The  Ayrshires  are  practically  the 
only  dairy  cattle  in  Scotland,  and  nearly  every  country  in 
which  dairying  is  an  important  industry  has  drawn  heavily 
on  Scotland  for  foundation  stock.     The  principal  coun- 
tries that  are  using  Ayrshires  are  Canada,  the  United 
States,  Norway,  Sweden,  Finland  and  Russia.     They  are 
also  found  in  considerable  numbers  in  South  Africa,  New 
Zealand,  Australia,  China  and  Japan.     In  America,  the 
breed  is  found  in  largest  numbers  in  Quebec  and  Ontario, 
in  Canada,  but  it  is  fast  becoming  popular  in  eastern 
United  States,  notably  in  the  New  England  States,  New 
York  and  Pennsylvania.    There  are  a  few  herds  in  Ohio, 
Illinois,  Missouri,  Oregon  and  California. 

330.  Organizations   and   records.  —  The   welfare   and 
interests  of  this  race  of  cattle  are  in  charge  of  the  American 
Ayrshire  Breeders'  Association,  which  was  organized  on 
its  present  basis  in  1875.     The  breeders  of  Ayrshires,  how- 
ever, have  done  systematic  work  for  the  breed  through 
the  Association  of  Breeders  of  Thoroughbred  Neat  Stock, 
as  far  back  as  1859.     The  latter  organization  published 
three  volumes  of  a  herd  register.     On  the  organization  of 
the  former  association,  the  publication  of  the  Ayrshire 
Records  came  into  its  hands.     Since  1876  it  has  published 
twenty-seven  volumes  (new  series  recording  over  17,000 


300  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

bulls  and  39,000  cows).  The  North  American  Ayrshire 
Register  first  appeared  in  1875,  devoted  to  cattle  that 
could  be  traced  to  importation.  It  was  discontinued  in 
1880,  after  four  volumes  had  been  published.  Aside  from 
guarding  the  purity  of  the  breed,  the  American  Ayrshire 
Breeders'  Association  also  conducts  a  yearly  home  dairy 
test  and  an  advanced  registry.  Both  of  these  divisions 
of  the  Association's  work  tend  to  encourage  the  develop- 
ment of  the  breed  by  creating  a  greater  interest  among 
the  members  of  the  Association,  to  excel  either  in  making 
official  records,  or  in  making  attractive  displays  of  their 
cattle  at  leading  agricultural  exhibitions.  The  present 
headquarters  of  the  Association  are  at  Brandon,  Vermont. 
There  was  organized  in  1870  the  Ayrshire  Importers' 
and  Breeders'  Association  of  Canada,  and  in  1889  the 
Dominion  Ayrshire  Breeders'  Association.  In  1898,  the 
former  was  absorbed  by  the  latter.  The  Montreal  Ayr- 
shire Herd-book  first  appeared  in  1886.  It  was  later 
united  with  the  Dominion  Ayrshire  Herd-book,  which 
appeared  in  1884,  and  published  as  the  Canadian  Ayrshire 
Record. 

Literature.  —  Yearbook,  published  annually  by  the  Ayrshire 
Breeders' Association ;  E.  L.  Sturtev ant,  The  Dairy  Cow;  A  Mono- 
graph of  the  Ayrshire  Breed  of  Cattle,  Boston  (1875). 

BROWN  Swiss  CATTLE.    Figs.  51,  52. 
By  Charles  D.  Nixon 

331.  The  Brown  Swiss  cattle  of  America  are  a  distinct 
dairy  breed.  They  have  been  generally  known  as  a  dual- 
purpose  breed,  but  the  American  Brown  Swiss  Cattle 
Breeders'  Association  has  decreed  it  a  distinct  dairy  breed. 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE 


301 


332.  History.  —  This    breed    is    descended    from    the 
Brown  Switzer  or  Schwyzer  cattle,  established  from  a  time 
beyond  historic  record  in  the  mountainous  country  of 
Switzerland,  especially  in  the  Cantons  of  Zurich,  Zug  and 
Schwitz  or  Schwyz. 

The  first  importation  of  Brown  Swiss  cattle,  consisting 
of  seven  cows  and  one  bull,  was  made  by  Henry  M.  Clark, 
of  Belmont,  Massachusetts,  in  1869.  They  were  subse- 
quently sold  to  D.  Hall,  of  Providence,  Rhode  Island, 
and  D.  G.  Aldrich,  of  Worcester,  Massachusetts.  From 
them  and  subsequent  importations  by  W.  Koch  and  J.  B. 
Eldredge,  of  New  York ;  Scott  &  Harris,  of  Connecticut ; 
E.  M.  Barton,  of  Illinois,  and  McCormick  Brothers,  have 
sprung  the  2500  bulls  and  3700  cows  since  registered  as 
pure-bred  cattle  by  the  Brown  Swiss  Cattle  Breeders' 
Association.  In  1904,  McLaury  Brothers,  of  New  York 
State,  made  a  large  importation. 

333.  Description.  —  As  a  breed  the  Brown  Swiss  cattle 
are  fairly  large,  the  cows  averaging  1200  pounds  and  the 
bulls     1800     pounds, 

with  a  rugged  form, 
covered  with  a  soft 
mellow  skin  of  unusual 
thickness,  giving  the 
animal  a  sleek  appear- 
ance. The  color  is  a 
shade  from  light  to 
dark  chestnut  brown. 
The  peculiar  markings 
are  a  light  tuft  of  hair 

between  the  horns,  on  the  inside  of  the  ears  and  a  narrow 
line  along  the  back.  The  nose  is  black,  with  mouth  sur- 
rounded with  a  meal-colored  band;  a  yellow  strip  along 


FIG.  51.  —  Brown  Swiss  bull. 


302  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

the  middle  of  the  under  lip  crosses  over  to  the  upper  lip 
and  extends  up  the  sides  of  the  nostrils.  The  horns  are 
of  medium  size  and  length,  well  set,  with  black  tips ;  face 
dishing,  with  a  large,  full  eye,  denoting  energy  and  vigor. 
The  tail  is  long,  with  heavy  black  switch.  The  hoofs 

and  tongue  are  also 
black.  The  hindlegs 
are  straight,  with  thighs 
well  cut  out  before  and 
behind.  The  udder  is 
large,  extending  well 
up  in  front  and  rear. 
The  teats  are  large 
and  well  placed  at  the 
corners  of  the  udder, 

FIG.  52.  —  Brown  Swiss  cow.  •  ,  i  -,  .  •  <?     1 1 

with   a  beautifully 

formed  escutcheon.  The  ribs  are  well  sprung.  The  heart 
girth  is  large,  pelvic  arch  high  and  hips  broad.  The  short 
legs  give  the  appearance  of  under  weight,  differing  from 
other  dairy  breeds  in  that  they  have  a  stronger  and  more 
vigorous  appearance  (Figs.  51,  52). 

334.  Uses  of  Brown  Swiss  cattle.  —  They  are  persistent 
milkers  and  usually  produce  large  averages  for  the  year, 
occasionally  as  high  as  10,000  pounds  of  milk  and  500 
pounds  of  butter-fat.  The  milk  is  adapted  for  condensing, 
and  for  butter  and  cheese  production.  They  are  reputed 
to  produce  more  milk  and  butter-fat  on  rough  feed  than 
any  of  the  other  dairy  breeds.  The  average  per  cent  of 
butter-fat  is  4.3.  In  1891,  the  cow  Brienz  No.  168,  at  the 
age  of  twelve  years,  in  a  carefully  supervised  test  at 
Chicago,  made  the  very  notable  record  of  an  average  yield 
of  81.7  pounds  of  milk  per  day  for  three  days,  containing 
9.32  pounds  of  butter-fat. 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  303 

Brown  Swiss  cattle  have  not  been  popular  as  beef- 
producers  in  America,  although  they  are  highly  prized  for 
this  purpose  in  Switzerland.  They  fatten  rapidly  and 
attain  good  size.  They  dress  out  about  60  per  cent.  The 
calves  make  excellent  veal  at  six  weeks,  weighing  250  to 
300  pounds.  They  produce  a  white,  highly  flavored  meat. 

The  use  of  Brown  Swiss  bulls  on  grade  cows  to  produce 
veal  calves  is  highly  recommended.  They  are  also  valu- 
able for  crossing  on  debilitated  common  stock  for  infusing 
new  vigor. 

335.  Feeding  and  care.  —  As  has  been  said,  the  Brown 
Swiss  cattle  originated  in  the  mountainous  country  of 
Switzerland,  where  the  feed  is  grass  and  hay  alone  and 
where  grains  are  scarce  and  expensive.    They  grazed  on 
the  mountain  side  in  the  summer  and  were  fed  hay  in  the 
valley  in  the  winter. 

336.  Distribution.  —  Brown  Swiss  cattle  are  in  high 
favor  in  Europe,  especially  in  Russia,  Germany  and  Italy. 
In  Switzerland  they  are  the  most  popular  milk-producing 
cattle.    They   are   rather   generally   scattered   over   the 
United  States.     Some  of  the  larger  herds  are  now  in 
Missouri,  Illinois  and  Wisconsin,   and  are  used  almost 
exclusively  for  dairy  purposes.      They  are  also  found 
in  Mexico.     Their  ruggedness  and  ability  to  thrive  on 
rough,  sparse  pastures,  adapts  them  to  a  wide  range  of 
conditions. 

337.  Organizations     and     records.  —  The     American 
Brown  Swiss  Cattle  Breeders'  Association,  organized  in 
1880,  cares  for  the  interests  of  the  breed  in  this  country. 
It  is  made  up  of  less  than  100  Brown  Swiss  breeders,  many 
of  them  millionaire  farmers  who  take  great  pride  in  this 
stock.     To  date  it  has  published  three  small  herd-books, 
recording  4900  bulls  and  over  7000  cows. 


304  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

DUTCH  BELTED  CATTLE.     Figs.  53,  54. 
By  Frank  R.  Sanders 

338.  Dutch  Belted  cattle  are  a  dairy  breed.    Their 
native  home  is  in  Holland,  where  they  are  known  as  Laken- 
felds,  Lakenvelders  or  Veldlarkers,  which  means  literally 
a  field  of  white,  but  conveys  the  idea  of  a  white  body  with 
black  ends. 

339.  History  in  Holland.  —  The  early  history  of  this 
breed  is  not  fully  understood,  but  from  the  records  obtain- 
able, and  from  conversation  with  several  of  the  oldest 
breeders  in  Holland,  it  seems  that  these  cattle  began  to 
flourish  about  1750,  and  no  doubt  the  system  of  selection 
by  which  this  marvelous  color  breeding  was  attained,  dates 
back  into  the  sixteenth  century.     One  breeder  says  his 
father  informed  him  that  there  were  gentlemen  of  wealth 
and  leisure  near  what  is  now  called  Haarlem,  North  Hol- 
land, who  conceived  the  idea  of  breeding  animals  of  all  kinds 
to  a  certain  color,  chiefly  with  a  broad  band  of  white  in  the 
center  of  the  body,  with  black  ends.     These  noblemen  had 
large  estates,  and  it  is  said  that  for  more  than  100  years 
they  and  their  descendants  worked  on  the  perfection  of 
these  peculiar  color-markings,  until  they  produced  belted 
cattle,  pigs  and  poultry.   That  these  breeders  were  wonder- 
fully successful,  no  one  questions,  as  we  have  the  results 
of  their  labors  in  the  Dutch  Belted  cattle,  Lakenvelder 
poultry  of  England  and  America,  the  Lancheswine  of  Hol- 
land and  Germany  and  the  Hampshire  swine  of  America, 
which  were  supposed  to  originate  in  Hampshire,  England, 
but  undoubtedly  are  the  descendants  of  the  Haarlem  herds 
of  long  ago.     All  of  these  breeds  possess  a  belt,  and  carry 
out  the  idea  of  their  originators  in  a  marvelous  degree. 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  305 

340.  History  in  America.  —  Dutch  Belted  cattle  were 
first  imported  to  America  in  1838.  D.  H.  Haight  was  the 
largest  importer.  He  made  his  first  importation  in  1838, 
and  a  later  one  in  1848.  His  herd  became  scattered  over 
Orange  county,  New  York,  until  one  will  find  a  great 
many  belted  cows  in  every  township  in  that  county  to-day. 
Robert  W.  Coleman  also  imported  a  large  herd  to  place 
on  his  estate  at  Cornwall,  Pennsylvania.  The  Dutch 
Belted  cattle  in  America  to-day  are  entirely  descended 
from  these  herds.  In  1840,  P.  T.  Barnum  imported  a 
number  of  Dutch  Belted  cattle  for  show  purposes,  but 
shortly  placed  them  on  his  farm  in  Orange  county,  New 
York.  One  heifer  was  imported  in  1906  by  H.  W.  Lance, 
of  New  York  City,  for  his  farm  in  New  Jersey,  but  pre- 
vious to  that  time  none  were  brought  over  for  more  than 
fifty  years.  This  was  due  chiefly  to  the  very  great  diffi- 
culty in  securing  them  and  to  the  restriction  against  im- 
porting them.  A  number  have  been  exported  from  this 
country  to  Canada  and  Mexico,  and  a  few  to  Cuba.  In 
1893,  H.  B.  Richards,  secretary  of  the  Dutch  Belted  Cattle 
Association,  sold  his  World's  Fair  herd,  numbering  six- 
teen, and  nine  others  to  a  son-in-law  of  President  Diaz 
and  shipped  them  to  Mexico.  Later,  Richards  sold  twenty 
to  William  Van  Home,  of  Canada.  Other  exportations 
have  been  made.  There  are  about  fifteen  hundred  head 
in  America  at  the  present  time. 

341.  Description.  —  In  size,  these  cattle  rank  about 
with  the  Ayrshires,  and  are  also  much  the  same  in  general 
conformation,  being,  if  anything,  a  little  larger,  and  hav- 
ing a  little  more  length  of  leg.  Cows  range  from  900  to 
1300  pounds  in  weight.  Bulls  often  weigh  2000  pounds. 
The  best  types  of  the  breed  represent  a  highly  developed 
dairy  form,  having  thin  necks,  small  heads,  straight  backs, 


306 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


FIG.  53.  —  Dutch  Belted  bull. 


deep  chests,  hips  and  rumps  high  and  broad,  udders  and 
milk-veins  well  developed,  mellow  skin  and  soft  hair,  and 

withal,  a  high  nervous 
temperament.  They 
are  very  quiet  in  dis- 
position. The  most 
distinctive  feature  of 
this  breed  is  the  very 
wonderful,  pure  white 
belt.  This  belt,  when 
ideal,  should  be  a  little 
back  of  the  shoulder, 
and  a  little  in  front  of  the  hips,  and  should  extend  entirely 
around  the  body  in  a  line-like  appearance.  The  body  is 
coal  black,  and  these  combinations  of  color,  so  beauti- 
fully blended,  are  the  wonder  of  all  who  see  them  (Figs. 
53,  54). 

342.  Uses  of  Dutch  Belted  cattle.  — Dutch  Belted  cows, 
as  a  rule,  are  large,  persistent  milkers,  giving  milk  con- 
stantly, almost  with- 
out going  dry.  The 
fact  that  we  have 
many  breeders  of 
fifteen,  twenty  and 
twenty-five  years'  ex- 
perience who  are  as 
enthusiastic  as  ever, 
speaks  strongly  of  the 
merits  of  the  breed. 
In  order  to  convey  an  idea  of  the  ability  of  this  breed  in 
the  production  of  milk  and  butter,  we  cite  the  records  of 
the  cows  of  some  of  the  breeders  for  long  periods.  J.  A. 
Holbert,  of  New  York,  at  one  time  had  a  fine  herd  of 


FIG.  54.  —  Dutch  Belted  cow. 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  307 

Dutch  Belted  cattle  and  be  kept  a  careful  record  for  over 
eight  years.  Twenty-five  of  his  cows  and  heifers  averaged 
about  9000  pounds  yearly,  fed  eight  pounds  of  grain  and 
hay  ad  libitum  in  winter  and  pasture  alone  in  summer. 
Mrs.  S.  A.  F.  Servin,  one  of  the  largest  breeders,  who 
has  maintained  a  farm  solely  for  profit,  kept  a  daily  rec- 
ord for  eleven  years,  and  twenty-five  cows  averaged  be- 
twe£n  nine  and  ten  thousand  pounds  of  milk  yearly. 
D.  B.  Wilson  of  Connecticut,  who  has  made  butter  from 
his  herd  for  about  twelve  years,  says  that  it  takes  about 
ten  quarts  of  milk  to  make  a  pound  of  butter.  Cows  in 
the  Mountain  Lawn  Herd  of  New  Hampshire,  owned  by 
the  writer,  have  averaged  as  follows :  Eleven  cows  made 
an  average  of  8579  pounds  of  milk  for  eight  years.  One 
cow  produced  12,672  pounds  of  milk  in  one  year  and  in 
six  years  60,297  pounds.  The  average  production  of 
butter  by  this  cow  was  596  pounds  yearly. 

This  breed  of  cattle  has  a  use  for  ornamental  purposes. 
Because  of  their  unique  appearance  and  beauty,  they  are 
constantly  sought  by  persons  of  wealth  who  desire  some- 
thing novel  as  well  as  useful. 

343.  Feeding.  —  These  cattle  do  best  on  a  compara- 
tively light  grain  ration,  usually  not  over  eight  pounds 
properly  balanced.     When  fed  heavy  they  return  a  less 
per  cent  of  profits.     This  is  a  reason,  also,  why  Dutch 
Belted  cattle  do  well  in  sections  of  country  where  feed  is 
not  abundant. 

344.  Distribution.  —  Dutch  Belted  cattle  are  not  widely 
distributed,  but  are  found  in  comparatively  small  numbers 
in   Holland,    Canada,    United   States   and   Mexico.     In 
America  the  largest  herds  are  found  in  the  New  England 
States  and  New  York.     The  cattle  are  also  found  in  Penn- 
sylvania, New  Jersey,  Ohio,  Mississippi  and  other  parts 


308  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

of  the  South,  and  several  fine  herds  are  being  built  up  on 
the  Pacific  coast. 

As  many  of  these  cattle  have  been  kept  successfully  in 
northern  New  England  for  years,  they  have  gradually 
assumed  a  hardy  constitution,  well  adapted  to  withstand 
New  England  climates.  There  also  seems  to  be  a  place 
for  them  in  hilly  sections,  as  they  are  active  and  well  able 
to  rustle. 

345.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  Dutch  Belted 
Cattle  Association  of  America  was  organized  February  4, 
1886,  in  New  York  City,  and  is  the  only  organization  pro- 
moting the  breed  in  America.     The  Netherland  General 
Stamboek,  published  at  the  Hague,  Holland,  is  the  foreign 
representative.     Eleven  herd-books  of  the  Dutch  Belted 
Cattle  Association  of  America  have  been  published  to 
date  recording  3600.     The   address  of  the   secretary  is 
Covert,  Michigan. 

FRENCH-CANADIAN  CATTLE.    Figs.  55,  56. 
By  G.  E.  Day 

346.  French-Canadian  cattle,  or  "  Quebec  Jerseys  "  as 
they  are  sometimes  called,  belong  to  the  strictly  dairy 
class.    They  are  an  American  breed,  developed  in  Canada. 

347.  History. — •  French-Canadian  cattle  are  undoubtedly 
descended  from  cattle  brought  to  Canada  from  Brittany 
and  Normandy  by  the  early  French  settlers,  between  the 
years  1620  and  1650.    They  are  thought,  therefore,  to  be 
of  the  same  origin  as  the  Jersey  and  Guernsey,  and  their 
appearance  testifies  to  the  truth  of  this  opinion.     Al- 
though the  climate  of  the  province  of  Quebec,  where  these 
cattle  were  brought  by  the  settlers,  is  much  more  severe 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE 


309 


than  that  of  their  native  land,  these  little  cattle  showed 
wonderful  adaptability  to  changed  circumstances,  and 
appear  to  have  thriven  under  a  rigorous  climate,  cold 
stables,  coarse  fare  and  very  indifferent  care  and  manage- 
ment. The  result  is  a  breed  that  is  second  to  none  in 
hardiness ;  and  it  is  said  that  it  is  a  very  rare  thing  for  an 
animal  of  this  breed  to  be  affected  with  tuberculosis. 

348.  Description.  —  French-Canadian  cattle  are  some- 
what small,  mature  cows  weighing  700  to  900  pounds,  and 
bulls  about  1000  pounds.  The  rules  for  registration  con- 
tain the  following  statements  regarding  color :  "  The 
color  for  cows  may  be 
black  or  brown,  or 
dark  brown,  with  or 
without  a  yellow 
stripe  along  the  back 
and  around  the  muzzle, 
or  a  gray  stripe  around 
the  muzzle.  The  color 
may  also  be  fawn  or 
brindle.  The  color  for 
bulls  may  be  black  or 
brown,  or  dark  brown 
with  or  without  a  yellow  stripe  along  the  back  and  around 
the  muzzle,  or  a  gray  stripe  around  the  muzzle.  Females 
may  have  a  little  white  under  the  belly,  on  the  forehead 
or  in  the  switch,  and  bulls  a  little  white  under  the  belly  or 
in  the  switch.  The  horns  must  be  white  with  black  tips 
or  black  with  white  tips."  In  general  appearance  they 
resemble  the  Jersey,  but  have  less  of  the  deer-like  appear- 
ance possessed  by  the  Jersey,  and  are  somewhat  more 
rugged  in  appearance.  The  type  is  lean  and  muscular, 
and  the  cows  tend  to  be  wedge-shaped  (Figs.  55,  56). 


FIG.  55.  —  French-Canadian  bull. 


310 


THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 


349.  Uses  of  French-Canadian  cattle.  —  The  French- 
Canadian  is  a  strictly  dairy  breed.  As  yet,  milk  and  butter 
records  for  the  breed  are  not  very  numerous.  Generally 
speaking,  in  quantity  and  quality  of  milk  they  resemble 
the  Jersey.  At  the  Central  Experimental  Farm,  Ottawa, 
Ontario,  in  1903,  a  French-Canadian  cow  made  more 
butter  and  gave  a  larger  profit  than  any  other  pure-bred 
cow  in  the  herd,  including  Ayrshires,  Guernseys  and 

Shorthorns.  In  1904, 
in  the  same  herd, 
three  French-Cana- 
dian cattle  made  more 
butter  and  gave  a 
larger  profit  than  the 
three  best  cows  of  any 
other  breed,  including 
Ayrshires,  Guernseys 
and  Shorthorns.  The 
yearly  product  per  cow 

of  these  three  cows  was  8340  pounds  of  milk,  testing  4.52 
per  cent,  or  442.64  pounds  of  butter.  The  total  yearly 
profit  per  cow  above  cost  of  feed  was  $56.24.  In  the 
Pan-American  test,  the  five  French-Canadian  cows  stood 
sixth  in  total  profits  from  butter  and  gain  in  weight,  but  in 
percentage  of  profit  on  value  of  food,  they  led  all  breeds. 
A  record  of  performance  has  been  established  in  connec- 
tion with  the  breed,  the  first  cow  to  qualify  under  the 
rules  producing,  in  eleven  months,  7488  pounds  of  milk, 
and  332.8  pounds  of  butter-fat.  It  will  be  seen,  therefore, 
that  the  French-Canadian  cow  possesses  dairy  qualities 
of  no  mean  character. 

The  use  of  the  French-Canadian  bulls  on  native  cows 
should  be  especially  appropriate  in  the  Northeast,  where 


FIG.  56.  —  French-Canadian  cow. 


THE  DAIRY  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE  311 

dairying  is  a  specialty,  and  no  doubt  the  offspring  would 
show  increased  vigor  over  the  dams,  and  in  many  cases 
the  cows  would  yield  milk  richer  in  butter-fat. 

350.  Management.  —  One    of    the    most    remarkable 
things  about  French-Canadian  cattle  is  the  degree  of  excel- 
lence as  dairy  cattle  which  they  have  retained  under 
generations  of  unskilled  selection,  bare  pastures  in  sum- 
mer, and,  as  a  rule,  a  winter  ration  of  nothing  but  straw. 
But  they  respond  readily  to  more  liberal  treatment.     The 
application  of  well-known  principles  of  breeding,  and  the 
following  of  a  judicious  system  of  feeding,  should  render 
the  French-Canadian  a  really  prominent  dairy  breed. 

351.  Distribution.  —  As  might  be  expected,  the  head- 
quarters for  this  breed  is  the  province  of  Quebec,  where 
they  are  popular  with  the  French-Canadian  farmer,  or 
"  habitant."     It  is  only  within  comparatively  recent  years 
that  the  breed  has  become  known  to  the  outside  world. 
The  entering  of  five  cows  in  the  Pan-American  dairy  test, 
where  they  gave  a  remarkably  good  account  of  them- 
selves, served  to  advertise  the  breed  more  than  any  other 
circumstance,  and  they  are  now  to  be  found  in  several 
states  of  the  Union,  as  well  as  in  the  provinces  of  Ontario, 
New  Brunswick,  Nova  Scotia  and  Prince  Edward  Island. 
They  have  also  established  themselves  on  the  island  of 
Anticosti.     These  cattle  should  prove  of  value  on  the 
hills  of  northeastern  United  States,  especially  in  New 
England,  New  York  and  Pennsylvania.     As  yet,  however, 
the  number  of  herds  outside  of  Quebec  is  comparatively 
small,  and  -it  is  difficult  to  say  just  how  far  these  hardy 
little  cattle  may  extend  their  domain. 

352.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  first  organiza- 
tion in  the  interests  of  French-Canadian  cattle  was  formed 
in  1886,  and  a  record  was  established  to  enter  foundation 


312  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

stock.  The  record  was  placed  in  the  hands  of  a  commis- 
sion appointed  by  the  Quebec  government.  In  1895,  this 
record  was  handed  over  to  the  French-Canadian  Cattle 
Breeders'  Association,  organized  by  J.  A.  Couture,  Quebec, 
who  is  still  secretary  of  the  Association.  In  1896,  the 
Foundation  Herd-book  was  closed,  and  since  that  time 
only  the  progeny  of  recorded  animals  have  been  accepted 
for  registration.  In  the  Foundation  Herd-book  there  were 
recorded  5307  females  and  922  males.  In  1905,  the  old 
"  French-Canadian  Cattle  Book "  was  taken  over  by 
the  Canadian  National  Live-Stock  Records. 


CHAPTER  X 
THE  DUAL-PURPOSE  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE 

IF  kept  true  to  type,  individuals  representing  this  group 
of  breeds  are  larger  than  dairy  cows,  have  an  ample, 
bloeky  form,  approaching  that  of  the  beef  steer,  yet  with 
an  udder  development  superior  to  that  found  in  any  but 
dairy  cows. 

RED  POLLED  CATTLE.    Figs.  57,  58. 
By  H.  A.  Martin 

353.  Red  Polled  cattle  are  a  dual-purpose  breed,  rank- 
ing very  highly  in  both  milk-  and  butter-production. 

354.  History  in  England.  —  Hornless  or  polled  cattle 
have  existed  in  the  county  of  Suffolk,  England,  from  time 
immemorial.     The   probability   seems   to   be   that   they 
were  introduced  soon  after  the  Roman  occupation.     Bede 
says  that  the  people  who  settled  in  eastern  England  after 
the  Romans  had  gone,  brought  with  them  slaves,  their 
cattle  and  all  their  live-stock.      Certain  it  is  the  breed 
has  existed  in  Suffolk  as  far  back  as  we  can  trace  the  history. 

Of  the  Norfolk  strain  of  the  breed,  H.  F.  Euren,  in  the 
account  prepared  for  the  herd-book,  says :  "  The  files  of 
the  Norwich  Mercury  show  that  as  early  as  the  year  1778, 
there  were  whole  dairies  of  polled  cows  in  Norfolk."  In 
the  advertisements  of  that  and  succeeding  years,  sales  of 

313 


314  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK     . 

polled  cows  and  bulls  are  specially  referred  to.  Money 
Griggs,  of  Gately,  who  died  in  1872,  in  his  hundredth 
year,  and  who  had  been  for  upwards  of  eighty  years  a 
tenant  of  the  Elmham  estate,  informed  Mr.  Fulcher, 
when  making  inquiries  as  to  the  breed,  that  "  from  his 
earliest  recollection  Red  Polled  cattle  had  been  kept  in 
the  neighborhood  of  Elmham." 

355.  History  in  America.  —  There  seems  little  doubt 
that  our  so-called  native  muley  cows  are  descendants, 
more  or  less  mixed  with  other  strains,  of  the  Norfolk  and 
Suffolk  cows  brought  over  by  the  early  emigrants  from 
that  section.  They  have  been  preserved  from  extinction 
by  the  persistence  of  their  good  qualities.  The  persist- 
ence with  which  the  old  Suffolk  traits  are  transmitted, 
under  what  would  seem  most  adverse  conditions,  finds  a 
striking  illustration  in  what  were  known  in  Massachusetts 
as  Jamestown  cattle.  In  1847,  during  the  famine  in 
Ireland,  the  people  of  Boston  sent  a  shipload  of  provisions 
to  that  country  to  relieve  the  distress.  As  a  slight  token 
of  appreciation,  a  Mr.  Jeffries,  living  near  Cork,  presented 
to  the  captain  a  Suffolk  polled  heifer.  She  was  delivered 
by  him  to  the  donors  of  the  provisions,  and  was  sold  at 
auction  for  the  benefit  of  the  fund.  She  proved  a  re- 
markably fine  milker,  and  her  progeny  (mostly  bulls,  by 
what  were  then  known  as  Alderney  sires)  were  used 
largely  in  the  dairy  herds  about  Boston.  The  progeny 
of  these  half-blood  Suffolk  bulls  were  nearly  all  hornless, 
and  were  so  superior  to  the  ordinary  cattle  of  the  district 
as  to  become  noted.  They  were  known  as  Jamestown 
cattle,  from  the  name  of  the  vessel  in  which  the  heifer 
came  over.  At  several  local  fairs  they  were  shown  in 
considerable  numbers. 

The  first  regular  importation  of  Red  Polled  cattle  for 


THE  DUAL-PURPOSE  BREEDS  OF  CATTLE     315 


breeding  purposes  was  made  by  G.  F.  Taber,  of  New 
York,  in  1873.  This  importation  consisted  of  a  bull  and 
three  heifers.  In  1875,  he  imported  four  more  cows,  and 
in  1882,  three  bulls  and  twenty-three  heifers.  From  this 
time,  the  number  brought  over  increased  rapidly  from 
year  to  year,  until  the  prices  on  the  other  side  became  so 
high  that  the  business  Was  unprofitable. 

356.  Description.  —  In  general,  the  bull  is  strong,  im- 
pressive, low-set  and  of  good  carriage,  and  weighs  1800  to 
2000    pounds,     when 

mature  and  finished. 
The  cow  is  of  medium 
wedge-form,  low-set, 
with  top  and  under 
lines  straight,  except 
at  flank,  and  weighs 
1300  to  1500  pounds 
when  mature  and  fin- 
ished (Figs.  57,  58). 

357.  Types.  — 
Breeders  of  these  two 
types,      striving      to 

produce  good  dual-purpose  animals,  that  should  be 
polled  and  red-colored,  gradually  worked  toward  the 
same  type.  Mr.  Euren  says :  "  The  year  1846  may  be 
taken  as  the  date  from  which  the  Norfolk  and  Suffolk 
varieties  merged  into  each  other,  so  as  to  be  spoken  of 
as  one  and  the  same  breed."  There  was  a  friendly 
rivalry  between  the  two  counties  at  the  agricultural 
shows,  and  a  constant  interchange  of  the  best  blood, 
with  a  resulting  improvement  and  similarity  in  the  two 
strains.  After  an  exhibit  at  Battersea  in  1862,  when 
it  was  noted  that  the  best  forms  of  the  two  types  were 


FIG.  57.  — Red  Polled  bull. 


316  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

of  the  same  kind,  the  name  Norfolk  and  Suffolk  Red 
Polled  cattle  was  given  them.  Later,  about  1882,  the 
first  part  was  dropped,  since  which  time  the  cattle  have 
been  known  simply  as  Red  Polled. 

Suffolk  Red  Polled  cattle.  —  This  type  was  characterized 
by  a  thin,  clean  head;  clean  throat  with  little  dewlap; 

thin  legs;  a  large 
frame ;  rib  tolerably 
springing  from  the 
center  of  the  back,  but 
with  a  heavy  barrel; 
backbone  ridged ;  udder 
large,  loose  and  creased 
when  empty ;  milk 
°"  veins  remarkably  large, 
and  rising  in  knotted 

FIG.  58.  —  Red  Polled  cow.  *L 

puns.  It  was  the 

dairy  type,  and  was  remarkable  for  the  large  and  uniform 
yield  of  milk.  It  was  developed  in  the  county  of  Suffolk, 
England,  at  a  very  early  date. 

Norfolk  Red  Polled  cattle. — This  type  was  characterized 
by  small  bones,  short  legs  and  round  barrel,  with  good 
loins,  and  the  head  rather  fine.  It  was  a  hardy,  thriving 
strain,  maturing  at  an  early  age  and  making  a  superior 
quality  of  flesh.  It  was  the  beef  type  and  had  poorer 
milking  qualities  than  the  Suffolk.  It  was  developed  at 
an  early  date  in  Norfolk  county,  England. 

358.  Uses  of  Red  Polled  cattle.  — The  Red  Polled 
cattle  are  a  dual-purpose  breed,  and  we  find  that  they  have 
made  a  large  number  of  very  creditable  records,  both  in 
dairy  tests  and  in  slaughter  tests. 

For  milk  and  butter.  —  The  cows  give  a  good  flow  of 
milk,  which  tests  well,  and  milk  right  up  to  calving  if 


THE  DUAL-PURPOSE  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE     317 

allowed.  Some  results  of  tests  may  be  given  to  illustrate 
this  point.  The  following  dairy  tests  have  been  made  at 
state  fairs.  At  the  Ohio  State  Fair  a  three-days'  test  re- 
sulted as  follows :  The  cow  Queen  Bess  20335  gave  99 
pounds  of  milk  and  5.316  pounds  of  fat ;  the  cow  Miss 
McKinley  17203  gave  82.7  pounds  of  milk  and  3.843 
pounds  of  fat;  the  cow  Cassandra  2d  16305  gave  92.1 
pounds  of  milk  and  3.48  pounds  of  fat.  At  the  Illinois 
State  Fair,  in  a  three-days'  test  the  Red  Polled  cow 
Olena  18772  gave  128.4  pounds  of  milk  and  4.533  pounds 
of  fat.  The  next  highest  cow  of  any  breed  in  the  show 
made  4.234  pounds  of  fat.  At  the  Wisconsin  State  Fair, 
in  a  three-days'  test  the  Red  Polled  cow  Olena  18772 
gave  125  pounds  and  12  ounces  of  milk,  and  made  5.336 
pounds  of  fat.  The  cow  24888  Pear  made  a  record  in 
twelve  months  of  13160.6  pounds  of  milk  and  603.66 
pounds  of  butter-fat.  Jean  Duluth  Beauty,  31725,  1  yr., 
20280.6  pounds  milk  and  891.58  pounds  fat. 

For  beef.  —  The  steers  make  a  good  growth,  are  ready 
for  market  at  an  early  age  and  furnish  a  very  fine  quality 
of  meat.  The  following  slaughter  tests,  made  at  the 
International  Live-Stock  Exposition,  show  the  standing  of 
the  Red  Polled  cattle  in  meat-production :  For  two- 
year-olds  (1906),  the  highest  yield  was  made  by  an  Aber- 
deen-Angus, dressing  69.5  per  cent ;  the  next  highest  was 
a  Red  Polled,  dressing  69.2  per  cent.  For  yearlings 
(1906),  the  highest  yield  was  a  Red  Polled,  dressing  67.5 
per  cent;  the  next  highest  was  a  Hereford,  dressing  67.1 
per  cent.  For  two-year-olds  (1907),  the  highest  yield 
was  made  by  an  Aberdeen-Angus,  dressing  66.9  per  cent ; 
the  next  highest  was  an  Aberdeen-Angus,  dressing  66.64 
per  cent;  the  next  was  a  Red  Polled,  dressing  66.6  per 
cent.  In  this  test  were  fifteen  entries. 


318  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

For  crossing  and  grading,  Red  Polled  bulls  have  been 
used  extensively  and  with  good  results.  They  transmit 
the  color  and  polled  character  uniformly,  and  may  be 
used  profitably  on  either  dairy  or  beef  common  stock. 
They  cross  well  with  Shorthorns. 

359.  Distribution.  —  In    England,    we    find    the    Red 
Polled  cattle  in  their  native   counties  of  Norfolk  and 
Suffolk.    They  are  also  found  in  South  America,  Australia, 
Russia,   South  Africa,   New  Zealand,   Canada  and  the 
United  States.     In  America  we  find  the  greatest  number 
of  Red  Polled  cattle  in  the  Mississippi  valley,  in  the 
states  of  Ohio,   Indiana,   Illinois,  Wisconsin,  Michigan, 
Minnesota,  Iowa,  the  Dakotas,  Kansas,  Nebraska  and 
Missouri.     We  also  find  them  on  the  Atlantic  coast,  the 
Pacific  coast  and  in  Texas.     In  the  last-named  place  they 
are  very  numerous  and  do  exceptionally  well. 

360.  Organizations   and   records.  --  The   Red   Polled 
Society  of  Great  Britain  and  Ireland  was  organized  in 
1888,  at  which  time  it  took  up  the  publishing  of  the  Red 
Polled  Herd-book,  which  had  been  published  by  H.  F. 
Euren  since  1874.     The  Red  Polled  Cattle  Club  of  America 
was  organized  at  Chicago  in  1883.     The  first  volume  of 
its  herd-book  appeared  in  1887,  since  which  time  twenty- 
seven  volumes  have  been  issued  recording  69,000  cattle. 
Until  1901,  the  American  Red  Polled  Herd-book  included 
all  of  the  cattle  entered  in  the  English  series.     At  present 
only  cattle  grown  in  this  country  are  published  in  the 
American  series.     There  are  several  state  associations  in 
America  devoted  to  the  breed. 


THE  DUAL-PURPOSE  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE     319 

DEVON  CATTLE.    Figs.  59,  60. 
By  L.  P.  Sisson 

361.  The  Devon  is  a  dual-purpose  breed  of  cattle, 
containing  both  beef  and  dairy  types.     Because  of  the 
bright    red    color    the    animals    are    sometimes    called 
"  Rubies." 

362.  History  in   England.  —  From   time   immemorial 
there  has  been  known  in  the  south  and  west  of  England 
and  on  the  borders  of  Wales,  especially  in  the  county  of 
Devon,  a  breed  of  cattle  of  uniform  red  color,  rather  long 
and  graceful  horns,  well- 
rounded  and  symmetri- 
cal bodies  and  straight, 

broad  backs,  rather 
lighter  in  bone  than 
some  other  breeds  and 
shorter  in  the  legs,  thus 

possessing  many  of  the  F[Q  59.  _  Devon  bull. 

characters  of  the  present- 
day  Devon.  They  were  gentle  and  hardy,  active  and 
accustomed  to  gaining  their  living  while  roaming  over  the 
bleak  moors  or  rocky  hills  of  their  rough  native  country. 
Here  they  were  known  as  the  "  red  "  cows.  They  were 
the  main  reliance  of  their  owners  for  dairy  products. 
These  mountain-bred  cattle  were  sought  after  as  " feeders" 
in  Devon,  Cornwall  and  Somerset,  as  well  as  in  Hereford. 
Among  the  early  breeders  of  importance  should  be 
mentioned  the  Quartly  and  Davy  families,  through  whose 
efforts  the  Devons  were  greatly  improved.  For  several 
generations  the  Quartly  family  devoted  themselves  to 
improving  the  Devons,  and  Francis  Quartly,  who  began 


320 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


his  work  in  1793,  stands  preeminent  among  Devon 
breeders.  The  best  blood  in  the  breed  has  descended  from 
his  herd.  John  Tanner  Davy  began  the  improvement  of 
a  Devon  herd  left  to  him  by  his  father  in  1790.  On  his 
death  in  1852,  his  son,  Colonel  Davy,  continued  his  work, 
and  became  foremost  among  Devon  breeders  of  the  time. 

The  latter  did  a  great 
deal  to  popularize  the 
breed  by  his  writings 
and  by  his  personal 
efforts. 

363.   History    in 
America.  —  The   exact 

£  fi  ,  HH  ,  v>>-  W  1IV  date  °f  the  first  impor- 
tations of  Devons  is 
uncertain,  but  it  is 
thought  that  a  few 
head  were  brought  to  America  in  1623  by  the  colonists. 
Beginning  with  an  importation  in  1800  to  Massachusetts, 
several  importations  were  made,  the  most  notable  being 
in  1817,  when  six  pure-bred  heifers  and  a  bull  were  re- 
ceived by  Robert  Patterson  of  Baltimore.  The  Patter- 
sons made  later  importations,  and  were  in  no  small  way 
responsible  for  the  development  of  the  breed  in  this 
country.  Other  breeders  imported  Devon  stock  into 
United  States  and  Canada,  but  the  breed  has  not  become 
very  popular,  despite  the  fact  that  it  is  worthy. 

364.  Description.  —  In    general,    the    Devons    are    a 
docile  but  hardy  breed  of  cattle,  well  adapted  to  thrive  on 
short  and  hilly  pasture,  while  at  the  same  time  responding 
to  good  care  (Figs.  59,  60). 

365.  Types.  —  Two  types  of  Devon  cattle  have  been 
developed.    The  North  Devon,  a  hardy,  compact  type,  is 


FIG.  60.  —  Devon  cow. 


THE  DUAL-PURPOSE  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE     321 

probably  the  original  form.  The  animals  are  smaller, 
and  have  been  developed  for  beef-production  primarily. 
The  South  Devon,  a  larger  and  coarser  type,  has  been 
developed  for  both  meat  and  milk,  and  is  now  almost  a 
distinct  breed. 

366.  Uses  of  Devon  cattle.  —  While  the  Devons  are 
not  primarily  dairy  cattle,  still  some  splendid  milk-pro- 
ducers have  been  developed.     Although  the  quantity  of 
the  milk-yield  is  not  large,  the  quality  is  good,  which  gives 
them  definite  value  for  butter-making.     As  a  rule  they 
possess  well-shaped  udders. 

For  beef.  —  A  chief  recommendation  of  the  Devon  for 
beef  is  that  it  dresses  with  little  waste,  and  the  meat  is 
of  very  superior  quality.  The  animals  make  good  gains 
under  stall-feeding  but  cannot  be  forced  to  so  great  an 
extent  as  some  of  the  other  beef  breeds,  and  generally  are 
lighter  when  marketed.  The  breed  is  small,  which  has 
sometimes  militated  against  it  for  meat  purposes. 

For  oxen.  —  The  superior  intelligence,  quick  and  active 
movements  and  great  strength  of  the  Devons  render  the 
oxen  among  the  best  known  and  handsomest  in  the  world. 
Their  rapid  gait  and  firm  step,  together  with  the  ease 
with  which  they  are  trained,  have  gained  for  them  this 
superiority. 

For  grazing.  —  As  grazers,  the  Devons  stand  in  the 
first  rank,  as  they  are  active  and  hardy,  and  have  been 
accustomed  to  rustle  on  light,  hilly  pastures. 

For  crossing.  —  Prepotency  is  a  characteristic  of  Devon 
cattle  due  to  their  pure  breeding  for  so  long  a  period. 
When  crossed  on  grade  cows  the  results  are  very  satis- 
factory for  both  meat-  and  milk-production. 

367.  Distribution.  —  The    Devon    cattle    are    widely 
distributed,  being  found  scattered  through  the  south  of 


322  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

England,  in  Ireland,  South  Africa,  parts  of  Australia, 
Tasmania,  New  Zealand,  the  West  Indies  and  in  Canada, 
United  States  and  Mexico.  The  breed  is  now  represented 
in  every  state  in  the  Union  with  few  exceptions,  but  is 
most  numerous  in  New  England,  New  York,  Pennsylvania, 
Ohio,  Illinois,  Wisconsin  and  Texas.  Virginia,  Mary- 
land, the  Carolinas,  Georgia  and  Alabama  each  have  many 
herds.  It  is  well  adapted  to  warm  climates. 

368.  Organizations  and  records.  —  In  1851,  Colonel 
Davy  issued  the  first  volume  of  the  English  Devon  Herd- 
book,  other  volumes  being  put  out  from  time  to  time  until 
1881,  when  seven  volumes  had  been  published.  The 
Devon  Cattle  Breeders'  Society,  organized  in  1880,  bought 
the  Herd-book  in  1884,  and  has  since  increased  it  to  thirty- 
eight  volumes.  The  South  Devon  Herd-book  Society 
was  organized  in  1890.  It  also  published  a  herd-book. 
The  first  volume  of  the  American  Devon  Herd-book  ap- 
peared in  1863,  and  in  1879  the  fifth  and  last  volume  was 
issued.  In  1881,  volume  one  of  the  American  Devon 
Record  was  published,  seven  other  volumes  having  ap- 
peared since.  Yearbooks  have  also  been  issued.  The 
official  organization  for  the  promotion  of  the  interests 
of  the  breed  in  this  country  is  known  as  the  American 
Devon  Cattle  Club,  with  the  secretary's  office  at  Char- 
lottesville,  Virginia. 

Literature.  —  James  Sinclair,  History  of  the  Devon  Breed  of 
Cattle,  London  (1893). 


CHAPTER   XI 


LESSER  KNOWN  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE 
By  Carl  W.  Gay 

AT  this  point  we  may  bring  together  very  brief  accounts 
of  some  of  the  breeds  that  occupy  a  minor  place  in  this 
country,  although  they  may  not  be  closely  related  to 
each  other. 

369.  Kerry  cattle  have  been  developed  by  and  in  the  in- 
terest of  the  Irish  tenant  farmers,  and  are,  therefore,  most 
economical  producers  and  endowed  with  unusual  hardihood. 

The  true  Kerry,  distinguished  from  the  Dexter-Kerry, 
is  a  pony  dairy  cow,  usually  black  in  color,  though  occa- 
sionally red  (Fig.  61).  Their  appearance  is  more  rugged 
than  refined,  and  their 
size  is  smaller  than  that 
of  any  other  bovine. 
They  stand  from  36  to 
40  inches  high  and  weigh 
from  500  to  600  pounds 
in  the  case  of  cows  and 
up  to  1000  pounds  for 
bulls.  The  most  dis- 
tinguishing characteris- 
tic of  the  Kerry,  after  size,  form  and  color,  is  their  long, 
rather  straight,  fine  white  horn  with  a  black  tip. 

Some  Kerrys  produce  a  remarkable  amount  of  milk  con- 
sidering their  size.  They  have  not  been  especially  well 

323 


FIG.  61.  —  Kerry  cow. 


324 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


received  in  this  country,  their  usefulness  being  somewhat 
restricted.     They  seem  best  adapted  to  the  requirements 

of  small  families  who 
desire  to  keep  a  cow 
for  their  own  use,  but 
do  not  care  for  the 
amount  of  milk  yielded 
by  a  larger  cow. 

370.  Dexter-Kerry 
cattle.  —  The  Dexter- 
Kerry  is  a  dual-pur- 
pose derivative  from 


the    true    Kerry,    the 


FIG.  62.  —  Dexter-Kerry  bull. 

prefixed  name  being  that  of  the  man  in  whose  hands  they 
were  first  bred.  They  are  miniature  beef  cattle  which  kill 
well,  yet  they  have  some  dairy  capacity.  They  are  as 
small  or  smaller  than  the  true  Kerry  and  are  of  less  uni- 
form color,  being  red 
and  roan  as  well  as 
black  (Fig.  62). 

371.  West  High- 
land cattle.  —  The  West 
Highland  cattle  or  Ky- 
loes,  as  they  are  com- 
monly called,  are  native 
to  the  Highlands  of 
western  Scotland.  It 
is  a  very  old  breed,  but  has  not  been  extensively  taken 
up  outside  of  the  district  to  which  it  is  native.  Kyloes 
have  the  distinction  of  dressing  the  highest  quality  carcass, 
but  their  small  size  and  the  fact  that  they  feed  and  finish 
slowly  renders  them  of  little  economic  value  in  competition 
with  the  great  beef  breeds. 


FIG.  63.  —  Brahmin  bull. 


LESSER  KNOWN  BREEDS   OF  CATTLE 


325 


The  limited  number  that  have  come  to  this  country 
have  been  imported  more  for  ornamental  than  practical 
purposes.  Their  appearance  is  more  picturesque  and  at- 
tractive, with  their  extremely  heavy  coats  of  yellow,  red, 
brindle  or  black  hair,  their  long,  spreading  horns  and 
their  alert,  active  demeanor. 

372.  Brahmin,  Zebu  or  sacred  cattle  of  India  (Fig.  63). 
—  While  these  cattle  are  usually  thought  of  as  exhibits  in 
zoological  gardens  and  menageries,  they  have  some  eco- 
nomic importance.     In  the  South,  especially  Texas,  Brah- 
min bulls  are  bred  to  native  or  even  grade  beef-bred  cows 
in  the  belief  that  the  one-half-  or  three-quarter-breds  do 
better  than  the  improved  cattle  on  account  of  their  greater 
resistance  to  parasites,  flies,  ticks  and  the  heat. 

373.  Simmenthal.  —  This  is  a  Swiss  breed  named  from 
the  valley  of  the  Simme.     They  are  triple-purpose  cattle 
used  for  milk,  beef  and  work.     It  is  customary  to  work  the 
steers  one  or  two  seasons 

before  they  are  turned 
off  for  beef.  They  are 
large,  of  rugged  ap- 
pearance and  of  rather 
beefy  form.  The  color 
is  a  peculiar  light  shade 
of  fawn  or  drab  with 
some  white  markings. 

374.  Longhorn  cattle 
(Fig.  64). —This  is  an 
ancient  British  race  of 
cattle  most  notable  on 

account  of  its  having  been  the  object  of  Robert  BakewelPs 
practice  of  his  theories  of  breeding  for  improvement.  It 
was  the  leading  beef  breed  until  deposed  by  the  Short- 


FIG.  64.  —  Texas  Longhorn. 


326  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

horn  in  the  latter  part  of  the  eighteenth  century.  Long- 
horns  are  no  longer  bred  in  a  practical  way,  but  few  rep- 
resentatives of  the  true  type  being  extant  at  the  present 
time. 

The  Texas  Longhorn  was  the  earliest  race  of  cattle  to 
inhabit  our  western  ranges,  being  descendants  of  the 
Spanish  stock  introduced  into  Mexico.  Their  blood  has 
been  bred  out  by  grading  up  with  pure-bred  bulls. 


PART  III 


THE  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP  AND  GOATS 


Southdown 

Mutton 

Shropshire 
Oxford 
Hampshire 
Suffolk 

™-  1  n       Wool      f  American  Merino 
Middle     01           1  TV  i  •      T\/T    • 
w     ,        bheep    <  Delaine  Merino 

p.  362  I  Rambouillet 

Sheep  • 

Dorset-Horn  . 

p.  329 

Cheviot 

Leicester 
Lincoln 

Long  Wool 

Cotswold 

Goats  |  Angora                                           Barbados  or  Wool 

p.  390  1  Milch                                              Black-face  Highlai 

Fine 
Wool 


Lesser 
Known 
Sheep 
p.  381 


Herdwick 

Persiacot  and  Persiarino 

Romney  Marsh 

Ryeland 

Tunis 

Wensleydale 


327 


CHAPTER  XII 
THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP 

SHEEP  in  this  group  vary  considerably  in  the  matter  of 
scale  but  are  all  of  the  block  form  already  described  in 
reference  to  the  beef  cattle.  However,  the  leg  of  mutton 
in  the  sheep  carcass  has  a  greater  proportionate  value 
than  the  round  of  the  beef  carcass,  so  that  this  region 
in  addition  to  the  back  and  loin  receives  special  considera- 
tion from  the  sheep  judge. 

SOUTHDOWN  SHEEP.    Figs.  65,  66. 
By  //.  P.  Miller 

375.  The  name  Southdown  as  applied  to  sheep  arose 
from  the  use  of  the  term  in  referring  to  the  low  range  of 
chalk  hills  in  southeastern  England,  in  Sussex  county, 
where  the  breed  was  developed.    The  date  at  which  it 
was  first  used  is  not  known,  but  in  1794,  Arthur  Young, 
in  an  essay,  brought  the  breed  into  prominence.     The 
breed  ranks  in  the  first  place  for  mutton-production. 

376.  History    in    England.  —  The    Southdown    breed 
was  developed  through  selection  from  the  native  Sussex 
sheep   on   the  chalky  downs  of  southeastern   England. 
The  native  sheep  were  small,  ill-shaped  and  coarse-wooled. 
About  1780  or  earlier,  John  Ellman,  doubtless  taking  in- 
spiration from  the  success  of  Bakewell  with  the  Leicester, 

329 


330  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

began  the  development  of  the  breed,  striving  for  better 
mutton  form  and  constitution,  and  at  the  same  time  to 
improve  the  fleece.  He  made  rapid  progress  in  fixing 
the  present  features  of  the  Southdown.  About  1820, 
Jonas  Webb  began  breeding  Southdowns  with  a  selection 
from  the  Ellman  and  other  flocks,  and  he  proved  to  be 
the  genius  among  the  breeders.  He  built  on  Ellman's 
foundation,  and  produced  this  superior  mutton  sheep,  of 
larger  size  and  better  feeding  quality.  The  Southdown 
was  thus  the  first  of  the  Down  or  middle-wool  breeds  to 
be  improved,  and  has  been  employed  in  the  development 
of  the  other  Down  breeds,  particularly  the  Shropshire, 
Oxford  and  Hampshire.  It  early  became  the  breed  of 
the  English  royalty  and  aristocracy,  and  remains  so  to 
the  present  time. 

377.  History  in  America.  —  The  first  authentic  impor- 
tation into  America  was  by  Dr.  Rose,  of  Seneca  county, 
New  York,  in  1803.  The  sheep  of  this  importation,  how- 
ever, were  crossed  with  Merinos  in  1813.  In  1823,  Sidney 
Hawes,  of  New  York,  made  another  importation  and 
sold  thirty-six  ewes  and  two  rams  to  C.  N.  Bement  of 
Albany.  In  1834,  Francis  Rotch,  of  Otsego  county,  New 
York,  imported  six  ewes  and  a  ram  from  the  Ellman  flock. 
In  the  same  year,  Isaac  Maynard,  of  Coshocton  county, 
Ohio,  made  an  importation.  During  the  forties  and  fifties 
of  the  same  century,  while  wool  was  very  low  and  Merinos 
falling  into  disfavor,  Southdowns  became  disseminated 
very  widely.  With  the  revival  of  interest  in  Merinos  from 
the  high  prices  for  wool  following  the  Civil  War,  South- 
downs  fell  into  disfavor,  and  because  of  their  low  wool- 
yield  and  the  relative  importance  of  wool  in  this  country, 
they  have  not  regained  wide  popularity  in  the  North  or 
on  the  ranges.  South  of  the  Ohio  river,  however,  es- 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP 


331 


pecially  in  Kentucky  and  Tennessee,  they  were  for  many 
years  the  prevailing  breed,  and  are  still  popular. 

378.  Description.  —  It  is  the  smallest  of  the  Down 
breeds  that  are  prominent  in  America  at  this  time,  but  it 
is  the  model  in  form  toward 
which  all  other  breeds  are 
tending.  Its  compact  form 
and  short  fleece,  however, 
give  it  a  weight  greater  than 
its  appearance  suggests. 
Mature  ewes  weigh  up  to  150 
pounds,  and  rams  up  to  200, 
although  average  weights  are 
somewhat  less  (Figs.  65,  66). 
In  1788,  Arthur  Young 
wrote:  "  The  true  South- 
down, when  very  well  bred, 
has  no  horns,  a  long  speckled 
face,  clean  and  thin  jaw,  a 
long,  but  not  a  thin  neck,  no  tuft  of  wool  on  the  fore- 
head, which  they  call  owl-headed,  nor  any  fringe  of  wool 

on  the  cheeks,  thick  in  the 
shoulder,  openbreasted,  and 
deep;  both  fore-  and  hind- 
legs  stand  wide;  round  and 
straight  in  barrel;  wide  on 
the  loin  and  hips ;  shut  well 
in  the* twist,  which  is  a  pro- 
jection of  flesh  on  the  inner 
part  of  the  thigh  that  gives 
a  fullness  when  viewed  be- 
hind, and  makes  a  Southdown  leg  of  mutton  remarkably 
*ound  and  short,  more  so  than  other  breeds ;  thin  speckled 


FIG.  65.  —  Southdown  ram. 


FIG.  66.  —  Southdown  ewe. 


332  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

legs  free  from  wool ;  the  belly  full  of  wool ;  the  wool  close 
and  free  from  projecting  or  strong  fibers.  Those  flocks  not 
bred  with  particular  care  are  apt  to  be  coarse  wooled  on 
the  back." 

The  Southdown  of  to-day  presents  some  contrasts  to 
this :  It  is  characterized  by  very  short,  straight  legs,  set 
wide  apart ;  broad,  level  back,  very  thickly  fleshed ;  long 
and  broad  hips,  with  tail  setting  very  little  below  level 
of  back;  short  neck,  very  thick  at  shoulder  and  sharply 
tapering  toward  head ;  the  head  small,  but  comparatively 
broad  and  flat  between  the  ears ;  forehead  full ;  face  short 
and  in  ewes  somewhat  dished ;  eyes  very  prominent ; 
ears  small,  carried  above  the  level  and  covered,  the  English 
association  says,  with  wool,  while  the  American  says 
with  fine  hair.  The  face  and  legs  are  now  a  uniform  red- 
dish brown,  except  some  lingering  white  hairs  about  the 
nose.  The  face  has  a  lively  expression,  in  keeping  with  the 
quick  movements  of  the  Southdown.  The  hind-quarters 
carry  down  very  heavy ;  the  twist  is  extremely  deep  and 
full;  the  breast  very  broad  and  prominent;  both  fore 
and  hind  flanks  very  full,  thus  giving  an  almost  straight 
under-line.  The  hoofs  are  often  black.  They  are  of  thin 
yet  firm  horn,  making  a  good  foot.  There  is  now  a  large 
cap  of  wool  on  the  forehead,  and  on  many  specimens  the 
wool  is  working  farther  down  on  the  legs.  A  bright  pink 
color  of  skin  is  desired,  and  is  uniformly  found  with  healthy 
individuals.  The  Southdown  may  safely  be  said  to  be  the 
hardiest  of  all  the  English  breeds  under  American  condi- 
tions and  methods.  It  is  freer  from  catarrhal  troubles  and 
does  not  so  quickly  succumb  to  the  ravages  of  internal 
parasites.  In  these  particulars  it  approaches  the  Merino. 

379.  Uses  of  Southdown  sheep.  —  Southdown  rams 
prove  highly  satisfactory  for  mating  with  the  long-legged 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP      333 

mountain  ewes  for  the  production  of  mutton  lambs. 
Pure-breds  are  also  in  favor  for  production  of  lambs  to  be 
sold  at  weaning  time.  The  rams  bred  to  Merino  ewes 
produce  highly  satisfactory  lambs  for  feeding  off  at  eight 
to  ten  months  of  age.  They  produce  a  high  quality  of 
mature  mutton,  as  they  do  not  develop  fat  in  bunches. 
The  ewes  are  not  suited  for  growing  winter  lambs,  as  they 
will  not  breed  at  the  right  season,  but  the  rams  are  very 
satisfactory  for  siring  such  lambs.  The  lambs  are  good 
feeders  and  mature  rapidly.  Single  lambs  are  the  rule, 
but  a  flock  of  ewes  usually  produces  125  per  cent  of  lambs. 
Southdowns  have  rarely  been  known  to  produce  triplets. 
The  Southdown  has  the  shortest  and  finest  wool  of  any 
of  the  Down  or  middle-wool  breeds.  The  attempt  has 
been  to  develop  a  fleece  with  a  compact,  smooth  surface, 
that  is,  without  spiral  tips  on  the  locks  of  wool.  The 
average  weight  of  the  fleece  for  ewes  is  about  six  pounds, 
and  for  rams  about  eight  pounds.  The  wool  grades  as 
one-half  and  three-eighths. 

380.  Distribution.  —  The  general  adaptability  and  good 
grazing  qualities  of  the  Southdown,   together  with  its 
superior  mutton,  have  led  to  its  wide  dissemination.      In 
America  it  has  been  especially  popular  in  the  Central-East 
and  South,  although  it  is  found  in  practically  every  state 
and  territory  in  the  Union  and  in  Canada.     In  South 
America  it  is  found  in  Argentina,  Chile  and  other  countries. 
It  has  been  introduced  throughout  Europe,  Asia,  Japan, 
Africa  and  Australia. 

381.  Organization  and  records.  —  English  and  Ameri- 
can record   associations  were   organized   in   1882.     The 
Southdown  Sheep  Society  has  headquarters  in  London; 
the   American   Southdown   Breeders'    Association,    with 
headquarters  at  Springfield,  Illinois,  has  issued  fourteen 


334  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

volumes  of  its  flock-book  registering  over  32,000.  The 
latter  has  registered  sheep  from  nearly  every  state  in 
the  Union. 


SHROPSHIRE  DOWN  SHEEP.     Plate  XII. 
By  H.  P.  Miller 

382.  The  name  Shropshire,  as  applied  to  sheep,  was 
derived  from  the  county  of  that  name  in  England  where 
the  breed  was  developed.     The  breed  is  officially  known 
as  Shropshire   Down,   but  the  name  is  oftert   abbrevi- 
ated to  Shrop.     It  is  a  mutton  breed,  or  perhaps  we  may 
properly  consider  it  a  general-purpose  breed. 

383.  History  in  England.  —  Its  friends  claim  for  the 
Shropshire  an  equally  remote  origin  with  the  Southdown. 
The  name,  as  applied  to  sheep,  is  mentioned  in  English 
literature  as  far  back  as  1341,  there  being  at  that  time  a 
grade  of  wool  designated  as  Shropshire.     The  breed  had 
not  taken  on  many  of  its  present  characteristics,  however, 
a  century  ago,  as  Plymley,  in  his  "  Agriculture  of  Shrop- 
shire," published  in  1803,  described  the  sheep  of  that 
country  thus :   "  There  is  a  breed  of  sheep  in  Longmynd, 
with  horns  and  black  faces,   that  seem  an  indigenous 
sort.      They   are   nimble,   hardy   and   weigh   about  ten 
pounds  to  the  quarter  when  fatted.     Their  fleeces  weigh 
about  two  and  one-half  pounds."     Wilson,  in  his  Journal 
of  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society,  Vol.  XVI,  states  that 
when  the  Bristol  wool  society,  in  1792,  procured  all  the 
information    available    regarding    sheep    in   England,    it 
reported  that  on  Morfe  Common  there  were  about  10,000 
sheep  kept  during  the  summer  that  had  black,  brown  or 
spotted  faces,  a  superior  quality  of  wool,  and  were  con- 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP      335 

sidered  a  native  breed.  These  are  accepted  as  the  pro- 
genitors of  the  present  Shropshire,  although  it  is  a  common 
belief  that  the  Southdown  was  used  to  hasten  the  improve- 
ment. It  is  thought,  also,  that  the  Leicester  and  Cots- 
wold  were  used  to  increase  the  size  and  amount  of  wool, 
and  that  the  sheep  from  Cannock  Chase,  in  the  county 
of  Stafford,  were  used  in  the  early  breeding  efforts.  Samuel 
Meise,  of  Barrington,  and  George  Adney,  of  Harley,  were 
among  the  most  successful  of  the  early  improvers.  The 
Shropshire  first  attracted  attention  at  the  Royal  Agri- 
cultural Society  Show,  in  1855 ;  and  in  1859  it  was  recog- 
nized as  a  distinct  breed  and  given  a  class. 

384.  History  in  America.  —  The  first  American  im- 
portation on  record  was  made  into  Virginia,  in    1855. 
In  1860,  Samuel  Sutton  introduced  a  number  of  ewes  and 
a  ram  into  Maryland.     In  1862  and  again  a  few  years 
later,  flocks  were  established  in  New  York.     They  had 
made  their  way  into  Canada  also,  as  they  are  reported  to 
have  been  taken  from  Canada  to  Michigan  in  the  early 
seventies.     There  were  large  importations  in  the  early 
eighties.     The  American  Record  Association  was  organized 
in  1884,  at  Lafayette,  Indiana. 

385.  Description.  —  The  Shropshire  now  has  uniformly 
dark  brown  face  and  legs,  is  10  to  15  per  cent  heavier  than 
the  Southdown,  the  standard  weight  for  rams  being  225 
pounds  and  for  ewes  175  pounds.     Many,  however,  exceed 
these  weights  by  fifty  pounds  when  in  show  condition. 
It  has  a  broad  head,  short  face,  thick,  muscular  neck, 
closely    knit    shoulders,    symmetrical    body,    somewhat 
barrel-shaped,   except  that  it  is  straight  on  the  back. 
In  form  it  is  not  so  good  in  the  thigh  and  twist  as  the  South- 
down.    In  general  outline,  it  is  taller  and  more  rangy,  but 
the  present  tendency  is  toward  the  Southdown  in  form. 


336  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

The   Shropshire  is  possessed   of   great   fecundity,   early 
maturity  and  quick-fattening  qualities  (Plate  XII). 

386.  Uses  of  Shropshire  sheep.  —  Their  good  mutton 
form  and  quality  and  profitable  wool  production  make  the 
Shropshires  the  great  American  sheep  after  the  Merinos, 
in  their  Delaine  and  Rambouillet  forms.     They  have  a 
much   longer,   more   open  and   coarser  fleece  than  the 
Southdown,  are  covered  more  extensively  over  the  head 
and  legs,  and  yield  perhaps  50  per  cent  more  wool.     Ewes 
average  eight  pounds  or  more  and  rams  twelve  pounds  of 
fleece.     The  fleece  is  of  good  fiber  and  carries  consider- 
able   oil.      They    are    hardier   than   the   larger   breeds, 
although  yielding  to  the  Southdowns  in  this  particular. 
The  lambs  may  be  profitably  marketed  at  any  time 
from  five  to  twelve  months  of  age,  though  usually  the 
earlier  they  are  marketed  the  greater  the  profit.     The  rams 
are  very  generally  used  on  Merino  and  native  ewes  for 
the  production  of  high-class  mutton  lambs. 

387.  Distribution.  —  Shropshires    are    now    recorded 
from  almost  every  state  in  the  Union  and  from  Canada, 
and  far  exceed  in  numbers  any  other  English  breed  in 
America.     They  are  more  popular  in  the  North  and  East, 
not  being  extensively  found  on  the  ranges.     They  do 
best  on  good  pastures,  as  their  rustling  qualities  are  only 
medium.     They   are   found   very   generally   throughout 
England  and  her  colonies  and,  in  fact,  throughout  the 
civilized  world,  especially  in  Europe,  Africa,  Australia 
and  South  America. 

388.  Organization  and  records.  —  In  1882,  the  English 
Shropshire  Sheep  Society  was  organized.    The  first  volume 
of  its  flock-book  was  issued  in  1884.     The  American  Shrop- 
shire Sheep  Association  was  organized  in  1884,  and  has 
issued   twenty-six  volumes  of  its  flock-book,  registering 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP      337 

405,000  sheep.     There  is  also  a  National  Shropshire  Asso- 
ciation that  has  issued  one  volume  of  its  flock-book. 

OXFORD  DOWN  SHEEP.     Plate  XII. 
By  H.  P.  Miller 

389.  The  name  Oxford  as  applied  to  sheep  is  derived 
from  the  county  of  Oxford,  England,  where  the  breed  was 
developed.     The    Oxford    Down    is    a    typical    mutton 
breed  of  sheep. 

390.  History    in    England.  —  About    1829,    John    T. 
Twynham  conceived  the  idea  of  developing  a  new  breed 
of  sheep  combining  the  good  qualities  of  the  long-wools 
and  the  Down  breeds,   by  mating  the    most  compact 
Cotswold  rams  obtainable  with  his  Hampshire  ewes.     A 
few  years  later,  Samuel  Druce  and  Wm.  Gillett  began 
a  similar  system  of  crossing,  although  introducing  South- 
down blood  to  some  extent.    The  Hampshire,  however, 
was  the  chief  source  of  Down  blood  used  in  the  new  breed. 
The  cross  soon  became  popular,  and  several  other  persons 
undertook  the  same  line  of  breeding  or  used  the  cross-bred 
rams  so  that  there  was  no  necessity  for  in-and-inbreeding ; 
and  it  does  not  appear  to  have  been  employed  to  the  extent 
that  it  was  in  the  case  of  the  Southdown.    There  is  no 
definite  record  as  to  how  long  the  cross-breeding  was  con- 
tinued, but,  in  1853,  Druce  wrote  that  he  had  no  difficulty 
in  keeping  the  form  and  size  of  the  animal  as  it  should  be, 
and  the  wool  of  a  desirable  quality  and  not  deficient  in 
quantity.     Up  to  1857,  however,  it  was  known  as  Down- 
Cotswold,  but  in  that  year  the  name  "  Oxfordshire  Down  " 
was  adopted.     A  little  later  it  was  changed  to  Oxford 
Down,  and  these  sheep  are  now  generally  referred  to  as 


338  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Oxfords.  They  were  first  exhibited  at  the  Royal  Agricul- 
tural Society  Show  in  1851,  but  a  separate  class  was 
not  granted  them  until  1862.  That  may  be  taken  as  the 
date  when  they  became  a  recognized  breed  with  a  fixed 
type. 

391.  History   in   America.  —  This   breed   had   gained 
enough  recognition  by  1846,  so  that  it  was  in  that  year 
imported  to  America  by  Clayton  Reybold,  of  Delaware. 
In  1853,  small  flocks  were  brought  to  Virginia  and  Massa- 
chusetts.    The  following  year,  J.  T.  Andrew,  of  West 
Cornwall,  Connecticut,  imported  a  flock  that  spread  the 
fame  of  the  breed.     In  1857,  Andrew  sold  a  small  flock 
to  Messrs.  Smith,  of  Middlefield,  Massachusetts,  and  to 
C.  L.  Whiting,  of  Granville,  Ohio.     In  1859,  Andrew  sold 
a  flock  to  C.  G.  Forshay,  of  Texas.     Interest  in  the  breed 
then   subsided,   and   did   not   revive   until   about   1880. 
W.  A.  Shafer,  of  Ohio,  R.  J.  Stone,  of  Illinois,  Geo.  Mc- 
Kerrow,   of  Wisconsin,  and  Robert  Miller,   of  Ontario, 
in  the  next  few  years  imported  large  numbers  and  dis- 
seminated them  widely  through  the  United  States  and 
Canada. 

392.  Description.  —  The  Oxford  is  the  largest  of  the 
Down  breeds.      It  stands  very  much  higher  than   the 
Shropshire,  is  more  rangy,  straighter  on  the  under-line, 
and  has  longer  and  coarser  fleece  than  any  other  of  the 
group.     Being  a  cross-bred  sheep  of  rather  recent  origin, 
the  type  is  not  so  well  established  as  with  the  other  Down 
breeds.     Some  specimens  are  coarse  and  rather  open  in 
fleece,  and  others  finer  and  more  compact.     From  the 
Hampshire  line  of  ancestry,  it  inherits  a  tendency  to  dark 
or  bluish  skin  and  black  spots  and  hairs  in  the  fleece, 
which  are  very  objectionable.     However,  it  is  being  rapidly 
improved  in  these  particulars.     The  Oxford  Down  has  a 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP      339 

very  stately  appearance  and  is  a  very  attractive  sheep. 
The  color  of  face  and  legs  is  a  darker  brown  than  that  of 
the  Shropshire,  but  it  is  often  flecked  with  gray,  which 
may  even  predominate  on  the  nose  (Plate  XII). 

The  ewes  are  very  prolific,  probably  more  so  than  any 
other  breed,  even  triplets  being  not  uncommon.  They 
are  heavy  milkers.  The  lambs  grow  very  rapidly  and 
are  of  good  form,  and  the  ewes  yield  large  fleeces.  The 
one  shortcoming  of  the  breed  is  that  it  does  not  seem  hardy 
under  American  climatic  conditions.  It  succumbs  easily 
to  invasions  of  internal  parasites  and  to  pulmonary  dis- 
orders. 

393.  Uses   of   Oxford   sheep. — Oxfords  are  especially 
useful  to  produce  mutton  lambs  to  be  marketed  in  the  early 
summer,  at  four  to  five  months  of  age.    Under  high  feeding 
the  ewes  of  many  families  will  produce  150  per  cent  of  lambs. 
The  rams  are  well  adapted  for  mating  with  smaller  breeds 
for  the  production  of  lambs  to  be  fattened  at  eight  to  ten 
months  of  age.     There  is  a  considerable  demand  for  pure- 
bred rams  for  this  purpose.     Oxfords  will  yield  about  10 
per  cent  more  wool  than  Shropshires  that  is  rather  coarse 
in  quality  and  of  long  staple.     They  produce  longer  and 
coarser  wool  than  any  other  Down  breed. 

394.  Distribution.  —  This  breed  is  found  most  largely 
in  the  states  east  of  the  Mississippi  river  and  north  of 
the  Ohio  river,  and  in  Canada,  appearing  not  to  be  suited 
to  range  conditions.     It  has  spread  from  its  original  terri- 
tory in  England  to  almost  every  country  where  other 
English  breeds  have  gone,  which  includes  most  of  the  lead- 
ing live-stock  countries.     It  is  adapted  to  small  farms 
where  intensive  methods  are  practiced. 

395.  Organizations  and  records.  —  In  1881,  the  Ameri- 
can Oxford  Down  Record  Association  was  organized,  with 


340  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

headquarters  at  Hamilton,  Ohio.  Thirteen  volumes  of 
the  record  have  been  issued,  and  over  70,000  animals  re- 
corded. In  England,  the  interests  of  the  breed  are  in  the 
hands  of  the  Oxford  Down  Sheep  Breeders'  Association. 
It  has  issued  a  flock-book  each  year  since  its  inception  in 
1888. 

HAMPSHIRE  DOWN  SHEEP.     Plate  XIII. 
By  H.  P.  Miller 

396.  The  Hampshire  breed  derives  its  name  from  the 
county  of  that  name  in  the  south  of  England,  one  of  the 
counties  in  which  it  was  developed.     It  is  a  mutton  breed. 

397.  History   in    England.  —  The    Hampshire    Down 
sheep    was    produced    by    the    use    of    the    Southdown 
on  the  Wiltshire-horned  and  the  Berkshire-knot  sheep. 
The    former    was   a    white-faced    race,   and    the    latter 
black-faced.    The  Wiltshire  was  considered  the  largest 
of  the  native  breeds.     William  Humphrey,  of  Newbury, 
Hampshire,  who  is  accredited  as  being  the  first  and  great- 
est improver  of  the  breed,  assembled,  about  1834,  a  flock 
of  carefully  selected  ewes  of  what  were  then  referred  to  in 
a  general  way  as  West-Country  Downs,  including  the  two 
above-mentioned  local  strains.     He  began  his  work  of 
improvement  by  selection,  but  later  became  imbued  with 
the  idea  that  crossing  would  be  advantageous,  and  in 
successive  years  purchased  three  Southdown  rams  from 
Jonas  Webb.     A  little  later,  James  Rawlence  began  im- 
provement of  what  was  known  as  the  Sussex  sheep.     He 
used  some  Hampshire  and  West-Country  Down  blood. 
Later,  the  two  flocks  were  coalesced  to  form  the  Hampshire 
Down  breed.     Hampshires  were  first  accorded  a  class  at 
the  Royal  Agricultural  Society  Show  in  1857. 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP      341 

398.  History  in  America.  —  Hampshire  Down  Sheep 
were  imported  into  America  in  1855  by  Thomas  Messenger 
of  Long  Island.     No  further  importations  are  recorded 
until  1881.     In  that  year,  Henry  Met  calf,  of  Canandaigua, 
New  York,  imported  the  ram,  Shepherds'  Pride  2.      In 
1883,  the  breed  was  introduced  into  Michigan,  and  in 
1885  into  Ohio. 

399.  Description.  —  The  Hampshire  is  a  black-faced 
breed,  larger  than  the  Shropshire,  and  is  ranked  by  some 
persons  as  the  largest  of  the  Down  breeds,  although  that 
distinction  is  generally  accorded  the  Oxford.     An  average 
weight  should  be  250  pounds  for  mature  rams,  and  185 
to  195  for  mature  ewes  (Plate  XIII). 

It  is  the  coarsest  in  bone  and  head  of  any  of  this  group. 
Its  fleece  somewhat  resembles  that  of  the  Southdown, 
although  it  is  coarser  and  less  dense.  The  breed  ranks 
rather  low  in-  wool-production,  the  Suffolk  only  ranking 
lower.  The  wool  is  of  about  the  same  grade  as  that  of 
the  Shropshire,  but  shorter,  and  covering  the  body  less 
completely.  The  face  is  inclined  to  be  long,  and  the  nose 
somewhat  Roman  in  the  rams.  The  ears  are  large  and 
drooping,  the  face  and  legs  are  almost  black,  or  a  very 
dark  brown.  As  compared  with  the  Shropshire,  it  is 
somewhat  longer  in  body  and  leg,  and  perhaps  10  per  cent 
heavier.  The  ewes  are  prolific  and  heavy  milkers.  They 
strongly  compete  with  the  Shropshire  in  the  production 
of  twins. 

400.  Uses  of  Hampshire  sheep.  —  The  claim  of  the 
breed  to  superiority  is  based  on  the  rapidity  with  which  the 
lambs  grow.     In  England,  the  flocks  are  generally  folded, 
and  the  lambs  fed  for  rapid   development.     It  is  not 
unusual  for  a  Hampshire  lamb  to  gain  a  pound  a  day. 
The  breed  ranks  very  well  for  mutton-production,  es- 


342  THE  BEEEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

pecially  where  early  market  lambs  are  wanted.  In  this 
country,  Hampshire  rams  are  especially  prized  for  siring 
lambs  to  be  marketed  at  three  to  five  months  of  age. 
They  are  winning  some  favor  on  the  range,  as  sires  for 
mating  with  Merino  grade  ewes.  The  lambs  are  said  to 
be  good  rustlers.  Pure-breds  will  doubtless  prove  prof- 
itable for  the  production  of  lambs  to  be  marketed  in  the 
early  spring  or  summer.  But  pure-bred  flocks  will  be 
chiefly  valuable  in  America  for  the  supply  of  rams  for 
cross-breeding. 

As  has  been  said,  for  wool-production  the  Hampshire 
Down  is  very  mediocre.  The  fleece  is  light,  short  and  of 
rather  inferior  quality. 

401.  Distribution.  —  This   breed   is   now   widely   dis- 
seminated throughout  the  United  States  and  Canada, 
especially  in  the  eastern  sections.     It  seems  hardy  and 
well  adapted  to  American  conditions,  and  is  a  good  grazer. 
It  has  made  its  way  throughout  the  southern  counties  of 
England,  and  into  all  the  English  colonies.     It  is  now 
found  in  many  countries,  among  which,  aside  from  North 
America,  including  Mexico,  may  be  named  Russia,  Ger- 
many, Portugal,  Hungary,  South  Africa,  Australia,  New 
Zealand  and  several  parts  of  South  America,   notably 
Argentina  and  Uruguay. 

402.  Organizations    and    records.  —  The    Hampshire 
Down  Sheep  Breeders'  Association  was  organized  in  Eng- 
land in  1889.     The  Hampshire  Down  Sheep  Breeders' 
Association  of  America  was  also  organized  in  1889,  and 
has  issued  thirteen  volumes  of  its  flock-book  in  which 
the  number  of  registrations  is  over  58,000. 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP      348 

SUFFOLK  DOWN  SHEEP.    Fig.  67. 
By  David  McCrae 

403.  Suffolk  sheep  get  their  name  from  the  county  of 
Suffolk,  England,  where  the  breed  was  originally  developed. 
They  are  a  short-wooled  mutton  breed. 

404.  History  in  England.  —  The  Suffolk  is  the  modern 
representative  of  the  old  Norfolk   breed,   crossed  with 
the   Southdown.      In   some   respects,    the    old    Norfolk 
breed    resembled    the    Black-faced     Highland,     having 
the  same  colored   face   and   legs,  with   full   bone,  long 
spiral   horns,   long   body,   flat   ribs,    and  rather  narrow 
loins.     It   differed   from  the  latter  in  having  very  fine 
short  wool.     The  mutton  was  of  that  fine,  rich  flavor 
that  is  found  in  many  semi-wild  animals.      The  great 
value   of  the   old   breed  was   its  mutton,  which,  when 
long  kept,  more  closely  resembled  venison  than  that  of 
any  other  breed. 

The  Suffolk  is  the  result  of  a  cross  between  this  old 
Norfolk  breed  and  the  Southdown,  and  shows  what  very 
important  results  may  be  achieved  by  able  and  enterprising 
breeders.  The  modern  Suffolk  is  a  conspicuous  example  of 
remarkable  success  in  cross-breeding.  By  careful  selection 
and  management,  the  horns  have  disappeared.  The 
Suffolk  possesses  excellent  grazing  qualities,  and  yields 
a  carcass  of  lean,  wrell-flavored  mutton.  Separate  classes 
were  first  made  for  this  breed  at  the  Suffolk  show  in  1859, 
but  it  was  not  recognized  by  the  Royal  Agricultural  Society 
until  1886. 

405.  History  in  America.  —  The  Suffolk  may  be  con- 
sidered a  recent  introduction  to  America.     In  1888,  sheep 
of  this  breed  were  brought  both  to  Canada  and  to  the 


344  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

United  States,  the  importation  to  Canada  having  been 
made  by  B.  D.  Sewell,  of  New  Brunswick,  and  that  to 
the  United  States  by  M.  B.  Streeter  of  Brooklyn,  New 
York.  They  were  taken  to  Iowa  in  1892,  and  have  since 
been  established  elsewhere. 

406.  Description.  —  The  Suffolk  is  a  large,  rangy  sheep, 
black-faced,  hornless,  with  long,  clean,  black  legs  (Fig.  67). 

It  resembles  the  Southdown 
in  character  and  wool,  but 
is  about  one-third  larger  in 
body,  and  much  longer  in 
the  leg.  The  wool  is  of 
good  quality,  of  the  clothing 
type,  and  the  mutton  is  ex- 
cellent. It  is  a  good  feeder, 

FIQ.  67. -Suffolk  Down  ram.        ^    jg    repute(j    fo    be    yery 

prolific,  yielding  twins  and  triplets  frequently. 

407.  Uses  of  Suffolk  sheep.  —  The  Suffolk  has  a  place 
as  a  mutton  sheep,  giving  a  large  percentage  of  lean  meat 
with  a  rich  flavor.     It  is  valuable  for  crossing  purposes,  to 
produce  a  quick-growing  lamb  of  good  quality,  popular 
both  with  the  butcher  and  with  the  consumer.     The  wool 
is  well  adapted  for  hosiery  purposes,  but  is  rather  small 
in  quantity. 

408.  Distribution.  —  In  England,  the  breed  abounds  in 
the  counties  of  Suffolk,  Norfolk  and  Cambridge.     It  has 
been  exported  to  the  continent  of  Europe,  to  Holland, 
Germany,  France,  Spain,  Saxony  and  elsewhere,  where 
the  rams  are  in  demand  to  give  a  superior  quality  of  mutton 
in  their  produce.     It  has  been  taken  to  South  Africa,  and 
Australia  and  New  Zealand.    It  has  been  tried  with  success 
both  in  the  United  States  and  in  Canada,  but  it  is  as  yet 
relatively  unimportant  here. 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP      345 

409.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  first  English 
flock-book  was  published  in  1886,  by  the  Suffolk  Down 
Sheep  Society  organized  in  that  year.     Some  twenty  vol- 
umes have  been  issued  since.     In  America,  the  American 
Suffolk  Flock  Registry  Association,  organized  in  1892, 
has  issued  the  third  volume  of  its  flock-book. 

DORSET-HORN  SHEEP.    Figs.  68,  69. 
By  H.  P.  Miller 

410.  The  Dorset  is  an  English  breed  that  takes  its  name 
from  the  county  in  which  it  originated.     It  is  a  mutton 
breed,  specially  valuable  for  crossing  to  produce  early 
lambs.     It  is  characterized  by  gracefully  curving  horns 
in  both  male  and  female. 

411.  History  in  England.  —  The  Dorset  is  one  of  the 
oldest  distinct  breeds  in  England,  no  other  race  having 
been  mingled  with  it  originally,  within  the  time  of  any 
records  referring  to  it.     It  was  first  mentioned  in  1707, 
when  it  was  reported  to  have  yeaned  in  December  and 
again  in  June.     The  two  counties  of  Dorset  and  Somerset 
seem  to  have  been  the  home  of  two  races,  differing  some- 
what, which  became  mingled  in  the  present  Dorset.    The 
original   stock   of   Dorsetshire  was   small,   light   in    the 
shoulders,  with  white  face  and  legs  and  a  black  nose.     Both 
males  and  females  bore  horns.     The  stock  of  Somerset 
was  larger,  coarser,  longer-wooled,  with  flesh-colored  nose 
and  better  form.     The  Dorset  seems  never  to  have  had  a 
devotee  with  the  genius  of  Bakewell  or  Ellman,  and  at 
one  time  came  near  losing  its  identity  through  admixture 
of  the  improved  breeds  of  the  day.     Its  ability  to  produce 
lambs  earlier  than  any  other  breed  seems  to  have  saved  it. 


346 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


FIG.  68.  —  Dorset-Horn  ram. 


The  Dorset  was  first  recognized  at  the  leading  English 
shows  in  1862.  It  has  been  greatly  improved  since  that 
date;  in  fact,  American  breeders  have  greatly  modified 

and  unified  the  breed  in  the 
past  quarter  century. 

412.  In  America.  —  The 
introduction  of  Dorsets  to 
America  has  been  very  recent. 
The  first  specimens  were 
shown  at  the  Chicago  Fat 
Stock  Show,  in  1885.  That 
same  year  an  importation 
was  made  into  Canada.  In 
1887,  A.  Thayer,  of  Hoosic  Falls,  New  York,  and  E.  F. 
Bowditch,  of  Framingham,  Massachusetts,  made  importa- 
tions. In  1889,  T.  S.  Cooper,  of  Pennsylvania,  imported 
153  head.  They  have  not  as  yet  gained  the  popularity  in 
America  that  other  English 
breeds  have,  and  have  had 
only  a  limited  trial  on  the 
ranges. 

413.  Description.  —  In 
form  and  fleece  the  Dorset- 
Horn  closely  resembles  the 
Down  breeds,  but  in  some  ' 

features  presents  strong  con- 
trasts (Figs.  68,  69).  Its  face 
and  legs  are  pure  white,  and  the  modern  American  type 
has  a  flesh-colored  nose.  Both  sexes  have  horns,  the  rams 
very  heavy  ones  that  have  a  forward  spiral  curve.  In  size 
these  sheep  are  between  the  Southdown  and  the  Shrop- 
shire, the  standard  weight  for  rams  being  about  200  pounds 
and  for  ewes,  160  pounds.  They  generally  are  taller  than 


FIG.  69.  —  Dorset-Horn  ewe. 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP      347 

either  of  the  above,  but  are  not  so  uniform.  In  length, 
quality  and  quantity  of  fleece  they  are  also  between  the 
above  two  breeds.  Some  of  the  breed  early  brought  to 
America  were  excessively  tall  and  inclined  to  be  coarse. 
They  were  also  quite  bare  of  wool  on  legs  and  belly.  The 
prevailing  type  at  present  approaches  the  Shropshire  in 
form,  although  it  is  not  so  heavy  in  the  breast  and  chest. 
It  is  now  well  covered  over  the  body  and  legs  to  knees 
and  hocks,  and  has  a  good  f  oretop.  There  is  still  'lack  of 
uniformity,  style  and  quantity  of  fleece.  A  somewhat 
common  defect  is  a  constricted  heart-girth.  The  breed 
stands  confinement  well  and  is  a  good  feeder.  It  is  also 
prolific. 

414.  Uses  of  Dorset-Horn  sheep. — The  strong  recom- 
mendation of  the  breed  in  America,  as  in  England,  is  for 
the  production  of  hot-house  or  winter  lambs.  It  will  breed 
earlier  than  any  other  of  the  English  breeds,  and  the  ewes, 
being  heavy  milkers,  prepare  their  lambs  for  market  in 
about  ten  weeks,  so  that  they  command  a  good  price  for 
mutton.  Under  high  feeding  they  will  produce  lambs 
twice  a  year  in  some  climates,  but  it  has  never  proved 
expedient  to  have  them  do  so.  It  is  doubtful  whether 
they  have  superior  merit  as  a  general  farm  sheep,  but  for 
the  production  of  early  market  lambs  they  are  especially 
suited.  Rams  of  the  breed  are  very  satisfactory  for  use 
on  grade  Merino  ewes  in  the  production  of  feeders.  The 
ewes  are  also  bred  to  Shropshire  or  Southdown  rams  to 
produce  market  lambs.  The  mutton,  except  that  of  fat 
lambs,  is  not  superior. 

For  wool-production  the  Dorset-Horn  has  a  rather  in- 
ferior place.  The  wool  is  short,  and  still  somewhat  scant 
under  the  body.  Ewes  average  about  six  pounds  and  rams 
about  seven  pounds  of  wool  of  fair  quality.  The  fleece 


348  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

probably  has  the  least  oil  of  any  of  the  middle-wool  breeds, 
and  is  less  dense. 

415.  Distribution.  —  The  principal  flocks  in  America 
are  to  be  found  in  New  Jersey,  New  York,  Ohio,  Indiana, 
Pennsylvania,  Virginia  and  Canada,  although  the  sheep 
are  found  in  other  states.    A  few  have  been  taken  to 
Australia  and  elsewhere,  but  they  have  not  the  wide 
dissemination   of  the   other  English   breeds.     They   are 
numerous  in  their  native  counties  of  Dorset  and  Somerset, 
in  England,  while  very  excellent  flocks  may  be  found  on 
islands  of  Wight  and  Portland. 

416.  Organization     and     records.  —  The     American 
Dorset-Horn  Sheep  Breeders'  Association  was  organized  in 
1891,  and  the  Continental  Dorset  Club  in  1897.     The 
former  issued  two  volumes  of  its  flock-book  bound  together 
in   1894,   and  the  latter  has   issued   fourteen  volumes, 
recording  over   17,000  sheep.     The  Continental  Dorset 
Club  publishes  a  book  on  the  breed  entitled  "  The  Winter 
Lamb."    The  Dorset-Horn  Sheep  Breeders'  Society  of 
England  was  organized  in  1891. 

CHEVIOT  SHEEP.    Fig.  70. 
By  David  McCrae 

417.  The  Cheviot  is  one  of  the  mountain  breeds  of 
Scotland,  named  after  a  range  of  grassy  hills  on  the  eastern 
borderland  between  England  and  Scotland.     It  is  noted 
both  for  wool-  and  for  mutton-production. 

418.  History.  —  The  Cheviot  has  been  bred  for  a  very 
long   period    on   the   Scottish   borders.     The   monks   of 
the  middle  ages  had  the  breed  about  the  pasture  lands  of 
the  old  monasteries ;  and  to  the  sheep-farming  church-men 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP      349 

of  Teviotdale  are  we  indebted  for  the  first  improvements 
in  the  breed.  The  monks  of  Melrose  had  large  flocks, 
which  were  dispersed  in  the  border  fields.  It  was  not  till 
about  1750  that  the  border  farmer  gave  much  attention 
to  the  breed  or  accomplished  anything  in  its  improvement. 
Cheviots  were  taken  to  Canada  early  in  the  nineteenth 
century.  In  1838,  Robert  Young,  of  Delhi,  New  York, 
made  an  importation,  followed  four  years  later  by  other 
importations  to  the  same  county.  In  1845,  they  were 
imported  into  Wisconsin  by  T.  J.  Carmichael.  Subse- 
quent importations  have  been  made,  but  the  breed  did 
not  make  much  progress  in  America  prior  to  1880. 

419.  Description.  —  The  Cheviot  is  of  medium  size, 
hornless,  face  and  legs  white,  the  body  closely  covered 
with  wool  of  a  soft  fiber  akin 

to  the  Down  wools ;  but  un- 
like the  Downs,  which  are 
always  likely  to  have  more 
or  less  of  a  gray  tinge  to  the 
wool,  the  Cheviot  gives  a 
pure  white  wool  (Fig.  70). 
The  head  is  bold  and  broad, 

FIG.  70.  —  Cheviot  ram. 

and  the  fleece  of  snowy  white- 
ness comes  close  up,  forming  almost  a  ruff  about  the  face. 
The  ribs  are  flatter  than  in  either  the  Southdown  or  the 
Highland.  It  is  a  very  active,  hardy  animal,  with  a 
bright  eye  and  erect  ears.  Unfortunately  it  has  a  tend- 
ency to  scatter  rather  than  flock  together. 

420.  Uses  of  Cheviot  sheep.  —  The  Cheviot  is  remark- 
ably hardy,  and  can  live  on  very  poor  grazing ;  but,  never- 
theless, it  must  have  grass  of  some  kind,  and  with  it  needs 
little  else.     It  yields  a  good  class  of  well-marbled  mutton, 
that  is  not  too  fat  and  dresses  a  carcass  of  good  weight. 


350  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

It  bears  traveling  on  foot  for  long  distances  better  than 
other  modern  breeds,  and  is  exceedingly  hardy.  The  ewes 
are  good,  careful  mothers,  and  highly  prolific.  The 
Cheviot  cannot  be  said  to  be  superior  as  a  wool-producer, 
owing  to  the  light  fleece,  which,  however,  is  of  good  quality, 
medium  length  and  in  demand.  According  to  Wallace, 
an  average  clip  for  ewes  is  four  and  one-half  to  five  pounds 
of  washed  wool.  The  tendency  of  American  breeding 
is  to  improve  wool-production  and  more  compact  form. 
Cheviot  ewes  produce  a  good  class  of  early  maturing  grade 
mutton  sheep  when  crossed  with  Lincoln,  Leicester  or 
Oxford  Down  rams.  These  crosses  have  been  popular  in 
the  native  home  of  the  breed  for  some  years. 

421.  Distribution.  —  In  the  Cheviot  hills,  the  Cheviots 
are  still  the  leading  breed.     About  the  year  1800,  Sir 
John  Sinclair  tried  them  in  Caithness  shire,  in  the  extreme 
north  of  Scotland,  and  they  have  spread  into  Sutherland- 
shire,  where  they  are  bred  in  large  numbers.     They  have 
done  well  in  many  parts  of  the  United  States,  but  not  so 
well  in  Canada,  where  the  close  confinement  of  the  winters 
is  against  their  active  habits.     Wherever  they  can  have 
outdoor  exercise  all  the  year  round,  they  are  at  home. 
They  are  specially  adapted  for  high,  grassy  tablelands, 
and  are  most   numerous  in  central  and   eastern  United 
States,  but  have  become  very  widely  scattered  throughout 
the  country. 

422.  Organization  and  records.  — The  Cheviot  Sheep 
Society  of  Great  Britain  was  organized  in  1891,  and  has 
published  a  volume  of  its  flock-book  for  each  year,  Volume  I 
having  been   issued   in   1893.      The  American   Cheviot 
Sheep  Breeders'  Association  was  organized  in  1891,  at 
Hartwick,  New  York,  and  two  years  later  issued  its  first 
flock-book.     In  1894,  the  National  Cheviot  Sheep  Society 


3 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS   OF  SHEEP  351 

was  organized  at  Indianapolis,  Indiana.  Six  years  later, 
these  two  societies  united  to  form  the  American  Cheviot 
Sheep  Society.  The  latter  organization  continues  the 
publication  of  the  flock-book. 

LEICESTER  SHEEP.     Plate  XIII.     Fig.  71. 
By  David  McCrae 

423.  The  Leicester  (pronounced  Les'ter)  sheep  are  a 
long-wool  mutton  breed,  developed  largely  in  the  county 
of  Leicester  in  England.     The  land  in  this  county  is  fertile 
and  rolling,  and  well  adapted  for  sheep-raising. 

424.  History  in  England.  —  The  Leicester  sheep  are 
named  from  the  county  of  Leicester  (Les'ter)  in  England, 
where  the  breed  had  its  origin.    Robert  Bakewell  of  Dishley 
near  Loughborough  in  Leicestershire,   began  his  sheep- 
breeding  efforts  about  1755.     His  object  was  to  produce 
a  breed  that  would  fatten  quickly  at  an  early  age.     Before 
this,  bulk  of  body  and  weight  of  fleece  had  been  the  aim 
of  breeders  of  long- wools.     The  common  sheep  of  the 
county  at  that  time  were  large,  heavy  and  coarse-wooled, 
white-faced,  flat-sided,  with  large  bones  and  long,  thick, 
rough  legs.     Bakewell  would  never  tell  how  he  got  his 
flock  up  to  the  excellence  which  later  distinguished  it, 
nor  yet  the  breeds  he  used,  but  it  is  thought  that  the  basis 
was  the  old  Teeswater  breed,  modified  by  selections  from 
the  local  breeds  of  long-wools  in  the  district.     This  Tees- 
water  breed,  from  the  valley  of  the  river  Tees  in  Yorkshire, 
was  a  tall,  clumsy  animal,  small  in  the  bone,  round  in  the 
rib,  and  with  a  thin  fleece  of  long  wool.     It  made  good 
mutton,    but    was    slow    in    maturing.     Bakewell    bred 
for  mutton,  with  the  least  bone  and  the  least  waste,  and 


352  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

for  quick-feeding  lambs.  The  breed  was  called  the  New 
Leicester  or  Dishley  breed.  Formed  by  careful  selection 
and  inbreeding,  the  new  flocks  had  great  prepotency, 
but  were  sometimes  delicate  in  constitution  and  shy 
breeders.  Even  now,  after  150  years,  these  features 
occasionally  appear. 

The  Dishley  flock  became  famous.  Bakewell  decided 
to  let  his  rams  instead  of  selling  them  outright.  In  1760, 
he  let  three  rams  for  $4  each,  and  two  for  $4.50  each. 
The  next  year  his  price  was  $5  each,  and  this  continued 
with  varying  success,  until  in  1780  he  reached  $50  for  his 
best.  Then  the  demand  increased  rapidly.  In  1785, 
the  top  price  was  $500.  In  1789,  he  let  three  rams  for 
$6000,  seven  for  $10,000,  and  the  remainder  of  his  flock 
for  $15,000.  His  reputation  was  established,  and  the 
New  Leicester  became  the  most  popular  breed  in  England. 
It  was  much  used  for  crossing  with  other  breeds  to  produce 
quick-feeding  lambs ;  and  this  reputation  still  holds. 

425.  History  in  America.  —  Bakewell  or  Dishley  sheep 
reached  America  in  colonial  days.  It  is  said  that  George 
Washington  had  Bakewell  ewes  at  Mount  Vernon.  Others 
were  known  in  Pennsylvania  and  New  Jersey.  About  the 
beginning  of  the  nineteenth  century,  Mr.  Toofy,  of  Quebec, 
made  an  importation.  Later,  about  1806,  they  were  im- 
ported into  Massachusetts.  In  the  same  year,  Captain 
Beanes  brought  some  rams  and  ewes  from  England, 
and  placed  them  on  a  farm  in  New  Jersey.  The  Beanes 
flock  subsequently,  in  the  hands  of  others,  attained  much 
notoriety.  A  number  of  importations  were  made  later, 
and  gradually  the  breed  worked  westward. 

In  America,  a  type  has  been  developed  that  differs 
somewhat  from  both  the  English  Leicester  and  the  Border 
Leicester,  both  of  which  types  have  been  used  in  many 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP 


353 


of  the  flocks  in  Canada  and  the  United  States.  Some 
owners  assert  that  the  modern  American  Leicester  is  a 
better  sheep  than  either  of  the  English  types,  and  that  this 
is  the  only  English  breed  of  sheep  that  has  been  improved 
in  America.  Certainly  the  modern  American  Leicester  is  a 
fine  sheep,  evenly  developed,  and  when  in  good  form  is 
a  beautiful  animal. 

426.  Description.  —  The  Leicesters  are  a  hornless  breed 
of  sheep,  of  large  size,  rec- 
tangular   form   of   body   on 

clean  legs,  and  with  bare 
faces  or  carrying  a  very 
scant  topknot.  (Fig.  71. 
Plate  XIII.) 

.There    are    two  types   in 
the    breed,   the    English    or 

T,    ,  „  i       i         r*       i  FIG.  71.  —  Leicester  ram. 

Bakewell,   and    the    Border 

Leicesters,  and  these  vary  somewhat  in  form  and  details. 

Both  types  are  recognized  by  all  Leicester  associations. 

427.  Types.  —  The  Dishley  or  Bakewell  type  became 
widely  used  in  England,  and  has  become  known  as  the 
English  Leicester.     Because  of  its  great  prepotency  and 
its  quality  of  putting  on  fat  quickly,  it  became  popular 
as  the  greatest  of  all  the  mutton  breeds  for  crossing  pur- 
poses and  for  early  market  lambs. 

The  Border  Leicester  is  so  named  because  it  is  bred  in 
the  border  counties  of  England  and  Scotland,  Roxborough- 
shire  in  Scotland  being  now  the  headquarters  of  the  breed. 
George  Culley,  of  Denton,  near  Darlington  in  Durham, 
and  his  brother  are  looked  on  as  the  original  breeders  of 
the  Border  Leicester.  The  Culleys  hired  rams  from  Dish- 
ley  and  crossed  them  on  a  stock  of  Teeswater  ewes  till 
they  had  a  flock  of  Leicesters.  When  they  retired  in 

2A 


354  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

1806,  their  flock,  through  that  of  Compton  of  Learmouth, 
supplied  a  part  of  the  Mertoun  flock  of  Lord  Polworth. 
This  flock  has  been  bred  with  the  greatest  care  since  1802, 
and  by  judicious  selection  and  without  outside  blood  has 
been  made  the  premier  flock  of  the  breed. 

The  Border  breed  has  a  white  face,  free  from  wool.  The 
English  Leicester  may  have  a  small  tuft,  and  may  be 
bluish  white  in  color.  At  one  time,  blue  faces  were  in 
fashion.  The  head  and  eye  are  important  points  in  a 
quick-feeding  animal.  "  Never  pick  a  rascally  head  and 
a  bad  eye,"  no  matter  what  the  carcass  may  be,  is  the  ad- 
vice of  a  famous  breeder. 

428.  Uses   of  Leicester  sheep.  —  The  Leicesters  are 
used  very  much  for  crossing  purposes,  to  get  early  lambs 
for  the  market.     Having  been  bred  more  for  mutton  than 
for  wool,  the  breed  has  so  far  not  been  so  widely  distributed 
in  America  as  its  good  qualities  deserve.     Of  late  years, 
however,  the  market  for  fat  lambs  has  become  a  feature, 
and  there  is  now  more  demand  for  the  Leicester  for  cross- 
breeding.    For  mutton  alone,  the  breed  is  inferior.     It  is 
too  large  and  too  fat,  unless  killed  young.     The  cross-bred 
mutton  on  Hampshires  or  Merinos  is  superior  to  the  pure- 
bred.    The    Border   Leicester-Cheviot    cross   has    found 
much  favor  for  the  production  of  choice  mutton  for  the 
British  market. 

The  wool  of  the  Leicester  is  fine  and  long,  and  the  fleeces 
will  weigh  nine  to  eleven  pounds.  Fine-wool  rams  on 
grade  Leicester  ewes  produce  a  fine,  compact  fleece  that  is 
heavier  than  that  of  the  Leicester  pure-bred. 

For  grazing,  the  Leicester  is  in  no  way  superior.  It  is 
not  specially  hardy,  and  cannot  rustle  sufficiently  well  to 
adapt  it  to  much  of  the  range  lands. 

429.  Distribution.  —  The   Leicesters   are   at   home   in 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP       355 

the  border  counties  of  England  and  Scotland,  and  in  other 
parts  of  Great  Britain.  While  tried  to  some  extent 
abroad,  notably  in  part  of  Europe,  New  Zealand,  Australia 
and  America,  they  have  not  attained  the  reputation  of 
the  heavier-wooled  breeds.  In  America  they  are  found 
mainly  in  Ontario  and  other  Canadian  provinces,  and  in 
Pennsylvania,  Michigan,  Illinois,  Iowa  and  Nebraska. 

430.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  first  organiza- 
tion devoted  to  the  Leicester  was  the  Dishley  Society, 
which  was  formed  to  sustain  the  efforts  of  Bakewell.     This 
society  has  been  succeeded  by  the  Leicester  Sheep  Breeders 
Society.     In  England  there  is  also  the  Society  of  Border 
Leicester    Sheep    Breeders.       The    American    Leicester 
Breeders'  Association  has  issued  eight  volumes  of  its  flock- 
book,  since  its  organization  in  1888,  recording  over  16,000 
sheep. 

LINCOLN  SHEEP.     Plate  XIII. 
By  David  McCrae 

431.  This  breed  is  of  large  size,  with  a  heavy  fleece 
of  long,  wavy  or  curly  wool  and  a  moderate  tuft  of  wool  on 
the  face. 

432.  History.  —  On  the  eastern  coast  of  England  lies 
the  county  of  Lincoln,  which  contains  a  large*  tract  of 
fen  or  marsh  land,  lying  exposed  to  the  North  sea  and  very 
little  above  it.     On  this  flat  fen  land  has  been  bred  a  race 
of  sheep  which  takes  its  name  from  the  county,  and  which 
has  made  for  itself  a  world-wide  reputation.     In  olden 
times,  the  sheep  raised  on  the  fens  of  Lincolnshire  were 
remarkable  for  large  size  and  for  length  of  wool.     They 
had  also  large  limbs,  big  hoofs,  hollow  flanks  and  flat 
sides.    We  know  little  about  the  origin  of  the  old  Lincoln 


356  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

breed.  Ellis,  who  published  his  "  Shepherd's  Guide " 
in  1749,  is  the  first  to  mention  them  as  an  established 
breed  in  the  fens  of  Lincoln.  He  says  that  they  were 
"  the  longest  legged  and  largest  carcassed  sheep  of  all 
others;  and  although  their  legs  and  bellies  were  for  the 
most  part  void  of  wool,  yet  they  carried  more  wool  on 
them  than  any  sheep  whatsoever."  The  modern  Lincoln 
is  said  to  be  the  product  of  a  Leicester  cross  on  the  old 
Lincoln.  It  is  a  fine  representative  of  the  long-wool 
sheep,  and  yields  a  very  heavy  fleece  of  combing  wool. 

Lincolns  were  first  brought  to  New  England  about  the 
close  of  the  eighteenth  century.  In  1825  an  importation 
was  made  to  Massachusetts  by  A.  A.  Lawrence.  In  1834 
they  reached  Ohio.  An  importation  was  made  to  New 
York  in  1836  by  L.  D.  Clift.  Since  that  time  importa- 
tions have  been  made  to  both  Canada  and  the  United 
States.  The  breed  has  not  been  popular  in  this  country. 

433.  Families.  —  Mention    should    be    made    of    two 
notable  flocks.     One  of  the  leading  flocks  in  England  is 
that  of  Henry  Budding,  Riby  Grove,  Great  Grimsby,  Lin- 
colnshire.    It  is  a  very  large  flock  and  has  been  bred  care- 
fully for  about  one  hundred  and  fifty  years.     Rams  from 
this  flock  have  sold  for  $5000  each.     In  1907,  forty-eight 
rams  averaged  $450.     Another  flock  which  has  a  notable 
record  is  that  of  J.  E.  Caswell,  Laughton,  Folkingham. 

434.  Description.  —  For  many  years,   the  fleece  has 
been  made  a  leading  feature  of  the  Lincoln  breed.  The 
wool  is  long,  somewhat  lustrous  and  of  a  strong  and  sound 
combing  quality.     For  length  of  fiber  and  strength  of 
staple,  no  other  breed  but  the  Cotswold  can  rival  the  Lin- 
coln.    The  color  is  white.     The  head  is  large,  and  without 
horns.     The  sheep  gives  the  impression  of  massiveness. 
It  is  gentle,  a  good  feeder,  matures  early,  and  has  fair 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP      357 

grazing  qualities,  but  cannot  be  said  to  be  very  prolific. 
(Plate  XIII.) 

435.  Uses  of  Lincoln  sheep.  —  The  Lincoln  is  bred 
for  wool,  and  its  reputation  has  been  made  from  the  fleece. 
Lincolnshire  has  an  area  of  about  twenty-seven  hundred 
square  miles,  and  its  annual  wool  clip  exceeds  nine  million 
pounds  of  washed  wool.     For  many  centuries  this  wool 
has  had  a  reputation  for  strong,  tough  fiber,  the  fen  wool 
especially  having    this  marked    toughness.       It  is    said 
by  many    persons    that    the    breed    removed    from    its 
native  fen  land  loses  the  tough,  strong  quality  of  fiber, 
no  matter  how  good  the  pasture  may  be  to  which  it  is  re- 
moved.    Eighteen  pounds  of  wool  for  mature  rams,  and 
fourteen  to  sixteen  for  mature  ewes  may  be  considered 
average  yields. 

The  Lincoln  has  been  widely  used,  especially  in  New 
Zealand,  for  crossing  on  Merino  stock  to  give  a  long 
combing  wool.  It  impresses  its  long- wool  qualities  on 
its  offspring.  This  cross  is  also  much  employed  in  Ar- 
gentina and  Australia,  to  produce  large  wool  sheep,  and 
incidentally  mutton,  for  the  English  market.  The  pure- 
bred Lincoln  is  not  popular  for  mutton  purposes,  as  it  is 
too  fat,  and  the  mutton  is  of  inferior  quality. 

436.  Distribution.  —  Lincoln  sheep  are  still  largely  bred 
in  their  old  home  in  Lincolnshire  and  neighboring  counties 
in  England.     In  Australia  and  New  Zealand  they  are 
favorites  for  crossing  purposes,  and  they  have  also  reached 
Russia  and  South  Africa.     In  South  America  they  are 
popular,  and  very  high  prices  have  been  paid  for  export 
rams  to  go  to  Argentina,  but  in  North  America  they  have 
not  gained  the  same  favor.     There  are  a  few  good  flocks  in 
Canada,  mainly  in  Ontario,  and  some  have  been  tried  on 
western  ranches  with  more  or  less  success. 


358  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

437.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  National  Lin- 
coln Sheep  Breeders'  Association  of  America,  organized 
in  1891,  looks  after  the  interests  of  the  breed  in  this 
country.     It  has  published  two  flock-books.     In  England 
there  is  the  Lincoln  Long- Wool  Sheep  Breeders'  Associa- 
tion, organized  in  1892.     It  issues  a  volume  of  its  flock- 
book  each  year. 

COTSWOLD  SHEEP.     Plate  XIII. 
By  David  McCrae 

438.  The  Cotswold  is  a  breed  of  sheep  raised  both  for 
wool  and  for  mutton.     It  is  of  large   size,   capable  of 
enduring  much  hardship  and  exposure,  and  well  adapted 
to  many  soils.     The  name  is  derived  from  a  range  of 
bleak   uplands   in   Gloucestershire,   England,   known   as 
Cotswold  hills. 

439.  History  in  England.  —  The  Cotswold  is  an  old 
English  breed,  whose  antiquity  is  undoubted.     It  is  one 
of  the  earliest  sheep  mentioned  by  name  in  Anglo-Saxon 
records.     In  the  time  of  the  Roman  conquests,  the  region 
from  which  these  sheep  came  is  said  to  have  been  famous 
for  the  production  of  wool.     Low  suggests  that  the  Cots- 
wold was  developed  from  the  sheep  found  in  the  counties 
of  Warwick  and  Oxford  at  an  early  period.     The  modern 
Cotswold  is  not  so  large  nor  so  high-standing  as  was  the 
older  breed,  but  has  more  style,  being  remarkable  for 
symmetry,  early  maturity  and  weight,  with  a  lofty  car- 
riage, a  fine,  well-covered  head,  and  an  abundant  fleece  of 
white,  wavy  wool.     Much  of  this  improvement  is  ascribed 
to  the  use  of  Leicester  rams  on  Cotswold  ewes,  a  practice 
very  common  about  the  beginning  of  the  nineteenth  cen- 
tury. 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP      359 

The  type  of  the  breed  has  been  well  maintained  by  the 
English  breeders,  and  the  flocks  of  the  various  breeders 
now  show  a  uniformity  that  is  very  desirable.  Game 
of  North  Leach,  Hugh  Aylmer  of  Norfolk,  Gillett  of 
Chalsbury  and  Swannock  of  Cidencester  were  notable 
breeders  who  had  flocks  of  good  type. 

440.  History  in  America.  —  We  have  a  record  of  an 
importation  of  Cotswold  sheep  by  Christopher  Dunn,  of 
Albany,  New  York,  in  1832.     Doubtless  there  had  been 
previous  importations,  for  even  at  that  date  sheep  of  this 
type  were  rather  common  in  New  York.     In  1834,  Isaac 
Maynard  took  a  small  flock  into  Ohio.     In  1837  they 
reached  Kentucky,  where  they  later  became  very  popular. 
In  1840,  Erastus  Corning,  also  of  Albany,  brought  over  a 
select  lot;    and  W.  H.  Sotham  made  an  importation  of 
nineteen  about  the  same  time.     In  1854,  George  Miller, 
of  Markham,  Canada,  brought  over  thirty  head,  and  these 
were  shown  at  the  Provincial  Fair.     In  Quebec  Province, 
A.  H.  Torrance,  of  Montreal,  and  J.  L.  Gibb  Comptom  had 
good  flocks,  from  which  they  sold  into  Maine,  Massa- 
chusetts and  Vermont.     Beginning  about  1870,  with  the 
decreasing    popularity    of    Merinos,    the    Cotswold    ex- 
perienced an  increasing  demand,  and  many  flocks  were 
established,  especially  in  central  United  States. 

441 .  Description. — The  Cotswold  is  a  large,  high-stand- 
ing sheep,  with  heavy  fleece  of  long,  white,  lustrous  wool. 
A  mature  ram  should  weigh  250  pounds  or  more,  and  a 
mature  ewe  200  pounds  at  least.     An  ample  topknot, 
often  covering  the  eyes,  is  one  of  the  distinguishing  charac- 
teristics of  the  breed.     It  is  uniform  in  type,  with  bold, 
upright  carriage,  broad  back,  and  shows  a  fair  leg  of 
mutton.     (Plate  XIII.)      It  is  a  superior  feeder,  specially 
well  adapted  to  good  pasture  land,  and  fairly  prolific. 


360  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

442.  Uses  of  Cotswold  sheep.  —  The  Cotswold  is  a 
fair  mutton  sheep,  giving  a  big  carcass  of  strong  mut- 
ton, very  popular  in  the  mining  districts  of  England. 
It   has  not   been   so   popular   in   America   for   mutton, 
except  the  lambs.    The  abundance   of   external   fat   is 
against  it.     In  America  it  has  been  used  for  crossing 
on    Merino    and    native    sheep,    the    produce    being    a 
lamb   of   the   mutton   type,    quick-feeding    and    hardy, 
weighing  120  to   140  pounds  at  a  year  old  and  carry- 
ing fair  fleece.     For  wool,  the  breed  has  always  been 
celebrated,    giving   a   heavy  fleece    of    strong    combing 
wool,   weighing   sixteen   to   eighteen   pounds   per  fleece 
in  the  best  specimens.     The  staple  should  average  ten 
inches  in  length,  and  frequently  exceeds  this.     The  half- 
bred  lambs  yield  a  large  fleece,  giving  much  profit  to 
the  wool-grower. 

443.  Distribution.  —  The  Cotswold  has  become  wide- 
spread in  America.     The  largest  number  of  breeders  are 
in  Ontario,  although  there  are  many  flocks  in  the  other 
provinces  of  Canada.     In  New  York,  there  are  good  flocks. 
Going  westward,  Indiana,  Illinois,  Ohio,  Michigan,  Iowa 
and  Wisconsin  stand  in  the  order  named  for  number  of 
breeders,  but  all  are  exceeded  by  Oregon,  which  has  the 
largest  number  of  any  state  in  the  Union.     There  are 
large  flocks  in  Utah,  and  many  half-breeds  in  Montana 
and  other  sections  of  the  West.     Kentucky  at  one  time 
had  large  flocks,  and  the  blood  there  is  still  in  evidence, 
but  they  have  not  been  kept  on  record.     In  England,  the 
Cotswold  is  most  popular  in  its  native  county  of  Gloucester 
and  neighboring  counties.     It  has  been  exported  to  Russia, 
Germany  and  France,  on  the  continent,  and  to  Australia 
and  New  Zealand,  as  well  as  to  many  parts  of  North 
America. 


THE  MUTTON  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP       361 

444.  Organizations  and  records.  —  In  1878,  the  Ameri- 
can Cotswold  Sheep  Association  was  formed  to  keep  the 
record  of  the  breed.  Seventeen  volumes  of  the  record 
have  been  issued,  with  over  eighty  thousand  animals 
recorded.  The  list  of  breeders  is  steadily  increasing. 
The  present  headquarters  of  the  association  are  at  Wau- 
kesha,  Wisconsin.  The  English  representative  of  this 
breed  is  the  Cotswold  Sheep  Society  of  England,  organ- 
ized in  1892.  It  also  publishes  a  flock-book. 


CHAPTER  XIII 
THE  WOOL  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP 

THESE  breeds  are  all  derivates  or  subdivisions  of  the 
great  Merino  group,  so  that  wool  and  Merino  are  synon- 
ymous. The  wool  type  bears  much  the  same  relation  to 
the  mutton  type  of  sheep  that  the  dairy  type  bears  to 
the  beef  type  of  cattle.  Their  form  is  of  less  scale,  more 
angular,  narrower,  with  lighter  quarters,  and  the  sheep 
are  slower  maturing  and  yield  a  carcass  deficient  in  flesh- 
ing and  finish.  On  the  other  hand,  they  produce  fleeces 
of  the  finest  staple  and  in  greatest  quantity. 

MERINO  SHEEP.     Plate  XIV. 
By  Joseph  E.  Wing 

445.  Of  the  Merinos  there  are  several  families,  all  of 
which  are  characterized  by  the  production  of  fine  fleece. 
The  name  "  Merino  "  comes  from  Spain  and  has  been 
variously  explained. 

446.  History  in  Spain.  —  Merino  sheep  are  native  of 
Spain.    The  land  is  of  variable  topography,  there  being 
wide,  dry  plains,  high,  cool  mountains  and  tablelands  and 
well-watered  valleys. 

As  to  the  origin  of  the  Merino,  little  is  known.  Pro- 
fessor Low  says  that  the  sheep  of  Spain  came  originally, 
from  Phoenicia  and  Carthage,  introduced  by  the  Car- 

362 


THE  WOOL  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP        363 

thaginians  and  the  Moors,  and  from  Italy.  At  the  be- 
ginning of  the  Christian  era,  historians  related  that  the 
sheep  of  Spain  had  a  superior  fleece.  When  in  the  eighth 
century  the  Moors  took  possession  of  Spain,  they  intro- 
duced the  manufacture  of  fine  fabrics,  and  the  sheep  of 
Spain  furnished  the  wool.  It  seems  probable  that  the 
development  of  the  Merino  as  a  bearer  of  fine  wool  was 
begun  at  a  date  prior  to  the  beginning  of  the  Christian 
era. 

Sheep  in  Spain  have  long  been  nomadic,  spending  the 
summers  in  the  highlands  and  the  winters  on  the  low 
plains.  The  annual  movement  of  these  millions  of  sheep 
was  a  notable  event.  In  this  connection  it  is  interesting 
to  note  that  the  sheep  were  divided  into  two  great  groups 
as  related  to  these  drives.  One  group  known  as  Estantes, 
was  stationary  on  the  farms,  and  was  composed  of  sheep 
of  fairly  large  size,  with  wool  somewhat  coarser  than  that 
of  the  other  type,  less  exposed,  perhaps,  to  the  rigors  of 
climate.  The  second  great  group,  known  as  Trans- 
humantes,  was  made  up  of  the  migratory  sheep  that 
constituted  the  drives.  These  were  subdivided  into 
flocks  or  "  squads  "  of  manageable  size  for  the  move- 
ments. 

447.  History  in  America.  —  Successful  importation  of 
Merinos  to  America  began  in  1801,  when  Seth  Adams 
brought  a  pair  to  Massachusetts.  In  the  same  year,  M. 
Dupont  de  Nemours  is  said  to  have  imported  one  Merino 
ram,  which  had  considerable  influence  on  certain  flocks 
in  New  York  and  other  eastern  states.  In  1807,  Seth 
Adams  removed  to  Ohio,  taking  with  him  his  Merinos, 
now  considerably  increased.  In  1802,  Colonel  David 
Humphrey  imported  from  Spain  to  Connecticut  ninety- 
three  Merinos,  chiefly  ewes.  The  good  quality  of  these 


364  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

early  importations  attracted  considerable  attention  among 
sheep-men,  which  resulted  in  increased  importations. 
One  of  the  most  influential  of  these  early  importers  was 
Robert  Livingston,  who  made  his  first  importation  in 
1802.  By  his  writings  and  by  his  political  influence  he 
advanced  the  interest  in  Merinos  very  greatly.  Another 
prominent  importer  was  William  Jarvis,  of  Vermont,  then 
the  United  States  consul  at  Lisbon.  Mr.  Jarvis  sent  to 
this  country  a  total  of  about  four  thousand  head,  which 
were  widely  distributed  through  the  East.  All  of  these 
sheep  were  of  superior  breeding,  and  included  representa- 
tives from  the  families  of  Paular,  Escurial,  Aguirre,  Ne- 
grette,  and  Montarcos.  From  this  time  for  many  years 
Merinos  were  on  the  crest  of  popularity,  and  prices  ruled 
very  high.  Plumb  states  that  "it  is  estimated  that  from 
April  1,  1810,  to  August  31,  1811,  there  were  brought  to 
the  United  States  19,651  Merino  sheep."  Most  of  the 
sheep  imported  from  Spain  were  of  the  great  migratory 
group. 

Merinos  in  America  are  now  grouped  in  three  great 
families,  designated  as  the  American  Merino,  the  Delaine 
and  the  Rambouillet. 

448.  Families.  —  The  principal  families  represented 
in  the  American  importations,  and  hence  the  progenitors 
of  our  modern  American  Merinos,  were  as  follows : 

Paular  Merinos.  —  The  Paulars  were  owned  by  the 
Carthusian  friars  of  Paular.  These  friars  had  one  of 
the  handsomest  flocks  in  Spain,  with  soft,  silky,  close  and 
compact  wool,  carrying  less  surface  yolk  than  some  other 
types.  The  Paular  lambs  were  hairy  at  birth.  The 
Paular  subtype  of  the  American  Merino  is  a  well-estab- 
lished strain. 

Aguirre    Merinos.  —  These    were    very    well-covered 


THE  WOOL  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP        365 

sheep,  with  much  wool  about  the  face,  and  a  dense,  much 
crimped  fleece.  The  sheep  had  round,  broad  bodies, 
short  legs,  and  much  loose  skin  in  folds  and  wrinkles. 

Atwood  Merinos.  —  The  famed  Atwood  family  of 
Merinos,  so  popular  the  latter  half  of  the  past  century, 
was  formed  by  mating  Infantados  with  Paulars,  which 
much  improved  the  type  of  sheep  and  the  fleece.  They 
were  characterized  by  many  folds. 

The  Escurial  Merinos  were  nearly  as  tall  as  the  Paulars 
but  were  slighter  in  build.  Their  wool  was  crimped  and 
not  so  thick  as  the  Paular  wool. 

Guadalupe  Merinos.  —  These  were  heavier  in  bone  than 
the  Negrettes  and  were  celebrated  for  both  the  quality 
and  the  quantity  of  their  wool.  Their  fleeces  were  thick 
and  crimped,  and  more  oily  than  the  Negrettes. 

Negrette  Merinos.  —  The  Negrette  Merinos  were  the 
largest  and  strongest  of  the  traveling  sheep  of  Spain. 
The  fleeces  were  shorter  than  those  of  the  Paulars.  They 
were  wooled  on  the  face  and  to  the  hoofs.  They  were 
all  loose  skinned,  with  heavy  dewlaps,  and  the  rams 
carried  large  horns. 

Infantado  Merinos  were  bred  by  the  Duke  of  Infantado 
and  were  very  superior  sheep.  Their  horns  came  close 
to  the  sides  of  their  heads,  while  those  of  the  Paulars  and 
Negrettes  stood  out.  Many  Infantados  were  brought  to 
America,  notably  by  Colonel  Humphrey. 

In  this  connection,  mention  should  be  made  of  some 
of  the  families  of  Merinos  that  have  been  built  up  in  Euro- 
pean countries  on  foundation  stock  imported  from  Spain. 
Notable  among  these  families  are  the  Saxon,  Silesian  or 
German,  Australian,  French  (Rambouillet)  and  Swedish. 

Saxon  Merino.  - —  From  the  Escurial  flocks  of  Spain, 
about  three  hundred  Merinos  were  sent,  in  1765,  to 


366  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Saxony.  These  were  naturally  among  the  finest  wooled 
of  Merinos,  and  in  their  new  home  more  attention  was 
paid  to  this  quality ;  so  much  attention,  in  fact,  that  the 
sheep  themselves  lost  stamina  and  hardiness  and  became 
very  delicate  and  hard  to  raise.  The  wool  of  these  sheep, 
however,  is  of  extraordinary  fineness  and  beauty.  They 
yield  about  two  to  three  pounds  of  washed  wool  per 
head.  There  are  not  many  breeders  of  pure  Saxon  sheep 
in  America,  although  they  have  been  bred  to  some  extent 
in  western  Pennsylvania  and  Virginia.  This  family  is 
now  almost  extinct. 

Silesian,  or  German  Merino.  —  This  breed  was  estab- 
lished in  Silesia  by  an  importation  of  Infantado  and 
Negrette  Merinos  in  1811,  although  importations  had 
been  made  earlier  with  some  success,  notably  those  of 
Von  Vinke  in  1768  and  1778.  Since  that  day  they  have 
been  bred  pure,  principally  on  the  estate  of  Ferdinand 
Fischer  of  Wirchenblatt.  For  many  years  a  careful 
record  of  each  sheep  has  been  kept  on  this  estate.  Sile- 
sian ewes  shear  eight  to  eleven  pounds  of  unwashed  wool, 
the  rams  twelve  to  sixteen  pounds.  The  wool  is  two  to 
three  inches  long,  dark  on  the  outside,  not  gummy, 
but  with  a  white,  clear  oil.  The  ewes  weigh  110  to  130 
pounds  and  the  rams  145  to  155  pounds.  There  have 
been  many  Silesians  imported  into  America.  Mr.  Win. 
Chamberlin,  of  New  York,  imported  246  head  between 
1851  and  1856.  It  is  probable  that  at  this  day  most 
Silesians  in  America  have  become  merged  with  one  or 
the  other  of  the  larger  Merino  families. 

Australian  Merino.  —  As  has  been  said,  the  Merino  is 
the  leading  sheep  in  Australia,  which  places  Australia  at 
the  head  of  the  list  of  Merino  sheep-producing  countries. 
Taken  to  New  South  Wales  in  1797,  the  sheep  found  the 


THE  WOOL  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP        36? 

hot,  dry  ranges  well  suited  to  their  needs,  and  to  the 
production  of  a  high  grade  of  wool. 

443.  Description.  —  The  distinguishing  characteristic 
of  the  Merino  is  its  covering,  which  is  of  very  fine  wool, 
usually  delicately  crimped.  This  wool  is  generally  short, 
ranging  from  an  inch  or  less  to  four  inches,  and  sometimes 
to  a  greater  length.  It  is  dense,  that  is,  there  are  a  great 
number  of  wool  fibers  to  the  square  inch  of  skin.  A 
Merino  will  carry  40,000  to  48,000  fibers  to  the  square 
inch.  Wool  normally  grows  over  the  Merino  to  the  tips 
of  the  ears  and  to  the  hoofs  of  the  feet.  In  the  Merino 
is  seen  the  greatest  development  of  wool  in  proportion  to 
carcass  of  any  breed.  In  Spain,  the  best  rams  of  the  early 
days  are  reported  to  have  yielded  about  6  to  8  per  cent 
of  their  weight  in  wool,  while  in  America,  in  about  1844, 
the  yield  had  increased  to  15  per  cent.  This,  of  course, 
is  unwashed  wool.  The  appearance  of  the  Merino  is  not 
very  pleasing.  The  form,  seen  when  shorn,  is  usually 
angular,  the  shoulders  often  narrow,  the  back  not  usually 
so  straight  or  strong  as  in  some  English  breeds,  the  legs 
less  straight  and  often  of  greater  length,  the  neck  more 
slender.  The  Merino  ram  usually  has  horns,  giving  the 
appearance  of  masculine  vigor.  The  appearance  of  weak- 
ness in  the  Merino  is  hardly  borne  out  by  its  behavior. 
It  is  very  enduring  and  resistant,  withstanding  storm, 
cold  and  starvation  better  than  most  sheep,  and  its  vital 
force  is  very  strong. 

450.  Uses  of  Merino  sheep.  —  Merino  sheep  are  kept 
primarily  for  their  wool.  It  is  true  that,  after  they  have 
served  their  time  for  this  purpose,  they  are  commonly 
fattened  and  made  into  mutton,  yet  the  fleece  is  usually 
the  first  consideration  with  the  Merino  flockmaster. 
Much  attention  is  paid  to  the  quantity  and  quality  of 


368  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

wool  borne  by  these  sheep.  In  some  families  of  Merinos, 
the  body  surface  is  increased  by  folds  or  wrinkles  on  the 
skin,  which  increase  the  wool-bearing  surface.  These 
folds  are  especially  pronounced  about  the  neck,  and 
sometimes  make  huge  "  collars." 

451.  The  wool.  —  Merino  wool  is  most  esteemed  when 
it  is  fine.  The  diameter  of  a  fiber  of  Merino  wool  varies 
from  iirtnr  to  i  sV "o  of  an  inch,  while  the  fibers  of  the  English 
breeds  vary  from  -5^-5  of  an  inch  for  an  Oxford  Down,  to 
•&YS  of  an  inch  for  a  Southdown.  It  should  also  have  a 
short  crimp  throughout  its  entire  length,  and  should  be 
strong,  silky  and  well  supplied  with  white  oil.  This  oil 
protects  the  wool  fibers,  but  at  the  outer  ends  it  collects 
dust  and  gives  the  coat  a  dark  and  uninviting  appearance, 
which  is  dispelled  when  the  wool  is  opened  and  the  beauti- 
ful white  and  glistening  interior  is  viewed. 

The  density  of  the  wool  is  an  essential  factor,  since  on 
that  depends  the  weight  of  the  scoured  fleece.  Sufficient 
oil  to  protect  the  fleece  is  essential,  but  a  surface  of 
grease  is  unnecessary,  and  in  recent  years  has  been 
recognized  as  undesirable.  During  the  so-called  Merino 
craze  that  existed  in  America  soon  after  the  Civil  War, 
the  aim  was  to  get  as  heavy  a  fleece  as  possible,  and 
many  breeders  unwisely  sought  to  attain  this  result 
by  breeding  sheep  with  very  greasy  wool.  It  was 
learned,  however,  that  this  only  enfeebled  the  sheep 
without  bringing  any  sufficient  compensation,  and  in 
recent  years  breeders  have  sought  to  produce  animals 
bearing  only  sufficient  oil  to  protect  the  fleece  well. 

The  amount  of  oil  carried  by  Merino  fleeces  varies 
with  the  different  families,  the  American  or  Spanish  types 
having  most  and  the  Rambouillet  perhaps  the  least  oil. 
Merino  fleeces  have  been  grown  so  heavy  with  oil  that 


THE  WOOL  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP        369 

they  scoured  out  no  more  than  12  per  cent  of  clean  wool ; 
others  have  made  40  per  cent.  Perhaps  an  average  yield 
of  clean  wool  would  be  about  30  per  cent  of  the  weight  of 
the  fleece  as  shorn.  A  good  ewe  should  shear  fifteen 
pounds  and  a  ram  twenty  to  twenty-four  pounds  of  wool. 
Individual  records  may  far  exceed  this. 

452.  Distribution.  —  The    Merino    has    become    very 
widespread,  and  is  now  found  in  all  civilized  countries 
where  flocks  are  kept,  although   it   cannot   be    said   to 
be  universally  popular  or  successful.     It  originated  in  a 
warm  climate.     It  has  shown  ability  to  withstand  hot 
weather  and  tropical  climates,  so  long  as  they  are  dry.     By 
far  the  greater  part  of  the  sheep  of  Australia  are  Merinos. 
It  has  also  been  important  in  New  Zealand  and  Argentina. 
The  Merino  thrives  in  Vermont,  New  York,  Ohio,  and 
other  north-central  states,  in  Texas,  and  all  the  states  of 
the  West,  where  it  constitutes  by  far  the  majority  of  the 
range  flocks.     It  has  never  been  popular  in  Canada,  and 
is  not  raised  in  England. 

AMERICAN  MERINO  SHEEP.    Figs.  72,  73. 

453.  The  American  Merino  was  developed  from  the 
Spanish  Merino,  the  blood  of  several  different  families 
having  been  interbred.     In  recent  years,  the  Delaine  and 
Rambouillet  types  of  Merinos  have  become  more  popular 
in  America  than  the  American  Merino,  owing  to  their 
better  form  and  ability  to  fatten,  and  the  high  prices 
prevailing  for  mutton. 

454.  Description.  —  The  head  of  a  typical  American 
Merino  is  small,  broad  and  short,  the  rams  carrying  heavy, 
spirally-twisted    horns,    and    the    ewes    being    hornless. 
The  form  of  the  American  Merino  is  somewhat  delicate. 

2s 


370 


THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 


FIG.  72.  —  American  Merino  ram. 


The  skin  is  of  the  most  attractive  pink.     The  prevailing 

fashion  is  to  have  three  to  five  heavy  folds  on  the  neck, 

large  on  the  under  side,  but  not    on    the  upper    side; 

two  or  three  short  folds  on 
and  immediately  back  of 
each  elbow  or  arm;  fine, 
thick  wrinkles  running  down 
the  sides,  but  not  extending 
over  the  back.  Wrinkles 
may  also  be  found  across 
the  hips,  sometimes  from 
the  tail  in  the  direction  of 
the  stifle  and  sometimes  at 

right  angles  with  them.     Folds  may  occur  around  the  tail 

to  give  it  a  wide  appearance,  and  also  across  the  thigh, 

with  a  deep  flank.    The  fleece 

covers     the     entire     sheep, 

except  the   tip  of  the   nose 

and  the  hoofs.     Usually  the 

eyes    are    hidden    by   wool. 

The  outside  of  the  fleece  is  a 

dirty  brown,  but  inside  it  is 

white    and   glistening.     The 

one-year-old  fleece  will  show 

a  length  of  about  two  and 

one-half  inches.     The  size  of 

the  American  Merino  varies 

much.     Ewes  may  weigh  80  or  100  pounds,  rams  100  or 

175  pounds.     (Figs.  72,  73.) 
The  American  Merino  does  not  reach  maturity  until 

between  three  and  four  years  of  age,  and  in  this  respect 

ranks  below  other  breeds.     It  is  characterized,  however, 

by  longevity. 


FIG.  73.  —  American  Merino  ewe. 


THE  WOOL  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP       371 

455.  Uses    of   American    Merino    sheep.  —  American 
Merinos  surpass  all  others  in  the  production  of  a  fine,  strong 
and  heavy  fleece.     Mature  ewes  frequently  shear  twelve 
to  fifteen  pounds,  and  rams  should  attain  to  twenty  pounds. 
Plumb,  quoting  from  a  Vermont  report,  says  that  in  1812, 
the  best  rams  in  Vermont  produced  but  6  per  cent  of  wool 
to  weight  of  body.     In  1844,  the  wool  had  increased  to 
15  per  cent,  in  1865  to  21  per  cent  and  in  1880  to  36  per 
cent,  showing  a  very  notable  increase  in  the  production  of 
wool.     Unfortunately  we  do  not  know  what  the  increase 
in  per  cent  of  scoured  wool  has  been. 

The  American  Merino  does  not  usually  fatten  so  readily 
as  other  types  of  the  Merino ;  and  when  compared  with 
the  mutton  breeds  it  is  inferior. 

In  the  West,  the  American  Merino  was  largely  instru- 
mental in  transforming  the  coarse  and  thin-wooled 
Mexican  ewe  into  one  of  far  better  and  heavier  fleece, 
with  also  better  form  and  increased  hardiness.  The 
American  Merino  has  been  much  used  for  crossing  in 
this  country  and  others,  and  the  result  is  invariably  an 
improvement  in  wool-production  in  the  grade  over  its 
other  parent.  Merino  ewes  are  crossed  with  some  of 
the  middle-wool  breeds  to  produce  a  good  market  mutton 
sheep,  yielding  a  somewhat  smaller  clip  of  wool. 

456.  Distribution.  —  In  America,  the   American  Me- 
rino is  widely  scattered,  and  does  well  under  very  diverse 
conditions.     It  is  hardy  and  active,  and  can  glean  a  living 
under  unfavorable  conditions.     It  has  been  largely  ex- 
ported to  Australia  and  Africa.     In  Australia,  Merinos 
are  bred  pure.     In  New  Zealand,  they  are  largely  inter- 
mixed with  sheep  of  mutton  type. 

457.  Organizations   and   records.  —  The  Merino   has 
suffered  from  an  overabundance    of    distinct  organiza- 


372  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

tions  devoted  to  its  interests,  and  the  absence  of  one 
centralized  and  directing  body.  It  was  not  until  1906  that 
any  success  was  attained  toward  the  formation  of  such  a 
national  society.  In  that  year,  the  American  and  De- 
laine Merino  Record  Association  was  formed,  by  the 
union  of  the  International  Delaine,  Standard  Delaine, 
and  Improved  Spanish  Delaine  Merino  Sheep  Breeders' 
Associations.  Among  nearly  a  score  of  associations  giv- 
ing attention  to  Merino  sheep  may  be  mentioned  the 
following,  which  are  concerned  especially  with  the  Ameri- 
can Merino:  The  Vermont  Merino  Sheep  Breeders' 
Association,  United  States  Merino  Sheep  Breeders' 
Association,  American  Merino  Sheep  Register  Associa- 
tion, Ohio  Spanish  Merino  Sheep  Breeders'  Association, 
New  York  State  American  Merino' Sheep  Breeders'  Asso- 
ciation, Michigan  Merino  Sheep  Breeders'  Association, 
Missouri  Merino  Sheep  Breeders'  Association,  National 
Merino  Sheep  Register  Association,  Standard  American 
Merino  Sheep  Breeders'  Association.  Many  of  these 
associations  issue  flock-books,  and  employ  a  score-card  for 
judging  purposes. 

DELAINE  MERINO  SHEEP.    Fig.  74. 

458.  The  word  Delaine  means  "  of  wool,"  and  is  from 
the   French.     Delaine   wool   can   be   combed   and   spun 
with  the  fibers  of  full  length,  making  a  fabric  of  great 
strength  and  durability.    The  Delaine  type,  of  several 
families,  has  been  developed  from  importations  of  Spanish 
Merinos,  by  selections  from  several  different  flocks  as 
noted  in  the  following  paragraphs. 

459.  Families.  —  The  Dickinson  Delaines  were  devel- 
oped from  sheep  of  the  Humphrey  importation  of  1802, 


THE  WOOL  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP        373 

mentioned  above,  by  William  R.  Dickinson  of  Ohio,  who 
began  his  improvement  of  Merino  sheep  in  1809.  James 
McDowell  became  possessed  of  some  of  the  Dickinson 
flock  and  created  the  McDowell  strain  of  Dickinsons. 
The  standard  of  excellence  for  Dickinson  Delaines  says 
that  the  sheep  shall  have  a  deep,  round,  wide  and  long 
body,  showing  mutton  capacity,  carrying  heavy,  thick 
flesh,  the  top-  and  under-lines  straight,  the  skin  smooth 
and  pink  and  well  filled  out,  being  free  from  folds.  The 
head  may  have  small  horns,  but  a  polled  head  is  pre- 
ferred. The  fleece  should  be  three  to  five  inches  long,  of 
a  quality  to  grade  XX  or  XXX  fine  Delaine  combing. 
Rams  should  shear  fifteen  to  twenty-five  pounds  and  ewes 
ten  to  fifteen  pounds  of  unwashed  wool.  Mature  rams 
should  weigh  200  pounds,  and  mature  ewes  150  pounds. 
The  National  Delaines  are  descended  from  an  impor- 
tation of  Merinos,  made  by  R.  W.  Meade,  in  1820.  Alex. 
Reed,  of  Washington  county,  Pennsylvania,  came  into 
possession  of  a  number  of  this  importation  the  year  fol- 
lowing, and  his  flock  may  be  considered  the  foundation 
of  the  Delaine  type.  Many  of  the  Reed  flock  were  sold 
to  other  breeders  in  Pennsylvania  and  West  Virginia, 
who  developed  the  type,  perhaps  more  than  Reed  had 
done.  This  type  is  not  very  different  from  the  Dickinson. 
It  has  the  smooth  body,  characteristic  of  the  Delaine, 
almost  free  from  folds.  It  does  not  seem  to  be  desirable 
to  dispense  with  folds  altogether,  as  they  appear  to  be 
associated  with  density  and  weight  of  wool.  This 
family  does  not  attain  so  large  size  as  the  Dickinson, 
running  perhaps  fifty  pounds  less  for  both  male  and 
female.  The  staple  should  reach  three  inches  in  a  year, 
and  the  fleece  should  weigh  up  to  nine  pounds  and  be 
comparatively  free  from  oil. 


374  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

The  Victor  Beall  strain  of  this  family  is  the  result  of  a 
cross  of  Spanish  and  Black-top  Merino  blood.  About 
1877,  a  Spanish  ram,  named  Victor,  was  used  in  the  flock 
of  Black-top  Merinos  owned  by  R.  H.  Russell.  Fifteen 
years  before,  a  ram  of  Spanish  and  Black-top  blood,  pur- 
chased from  the  flock  of  C.  H.  Beall,  of  West  Virginia, 
had  been  used  on  some  of  the  Reed  flock,  then  in  the 
hands  of  McClelland  Brothers.  The  offspring  of  the  de- 
scendants of  these  two  rams  were  very  superior,  and  the 
strain  came  to  be  known  as  Victor-Beall  Delaine  Merino. 

The  Black-top  Spanish  Merino.  — In  1821,  William 
Berry  of  Washington  county,  Pennsylvania,  purchased 
some  ewes  and  a  ram  of  Mr.  Dickinson,  which  he  bred 
very  carefully.  He  was  impressed  that  the  sheep  having 
the  darkest  appearance  or  "top  "  were  the  hardiest  and 
best  feeders.  By  selecting  along  these  lines,  he  developed 
a  family  that  he  called  Black-top.  It  differs  in  no  mate- 
rial way  from  the  other  families,  the  size  being  perhaps  a 
little  greater  and  the  fleece  a  little  heavier.  The  wool  is 
not  so  much  laid  on  over  the  head  and  has  a  darker  ap- 
pearance on  the  outside.  The  staple  should  reach  a 
length  of  three  to  four  inches,  and  the  rams  should  yield 
thirteen  to  fourteen  pounds,  the  ewes  seven  to  twelve 
pounds  of  brook- washed  wool.  Black-top  rams  are 
horned,  while  the  ewes  have  smooth  heads.  The  form 
in  general  is  of  the  mutton  type. 

The  Improved  Black-top  Merino  also  had  its  origin 
in  Washington  county,  Pennsylvania,  in  the  hands  of 
George  Black.  Beginning  about  1853,  and  continuing 
for  many  years,  Robert  Johnston,  also  of  Washington 
county,  used  only  Black-top  rams  on  his  ewes,  many  of 
his  rams  coming  from  the  Berry  flock.  His  ewes  traced 
to  the  Dickinson  flock.  In  1850,  Black  came  into  posses- 


THE  WOOL  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP        375 

sion  of  twenty-five  Black-top  ewes,  that  traced  to  the 
Dickinson  flock.  On  these  he  used  rams  of  Berry  and 
Johnston  breeding,  and  from  this  foundation  developed 
the  Improved  Black-top  Delaine,  the  word  "  improved  " 
being  used  because  the  advocates  considered  this  family 
superior  to  the  Black-top  Spanish. 

460.  Description.  —  Delaine     sheep     have     smoother 
bodies  than  the  American  Merinos,  with  fewer  folds  and 
wrinkles,  sometimes  with  none.     They  vary  considerably 
in  type,  according  to  the  individual  ideals  of  their  many 
breeders.    They  are  larger 

and  heavier  than  American 

Merinos  and   fatten   more 

readily.      The    weight    of 

matured  rams  may  be  given 

as  140  to  200  pounds,  and 

of    ewes    as    100    to    150 

pounds   (Fig.   74).      Their 

breeders    have    striven    to 

combine  mutton  qualities,      ^  74  ~  Delaine  Merino  ram' 

to  some  extent,  with  the  production  of  a  fine  fleece.    The 

breeders  avail  themselves  rather  freely  of  whatever  Merino 

blood  they  fancy  will  improve  their  type.     Thus,  when 

the  flock  is  losing  in  weight  of  fleece,  they  sometimes 

resort  to  the  use  of  American  Merino  rams  to  thicken  the 

fleece  and  make  it  heavier,  or  to  Rambouillet  rams  to 

increase  the  size.     The  important  item  sought  is  to  keep 

good  size  and  mutton  quality,  while  furnishing  fleece  of 

good  length  and  staple,  grading  XX  or  better.  • 

461.  Uses  of  Delaine  Merino  sheep.  —  The  Delaine 
Merinos  bear  wool  a  little  longer  and  coarser  in  fiber  than 
the  American  Merinos,  with  a  little  less  crimp  and  less 
oil,  and  with  stronger  fibers  well  adapted  to  carding. 


376  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

The  fleece  in  a  well-kept  matured  ram  should  average 
twelve  to  eighteen  pounds  and  in  the  matured  ewe  about 
nine  to  fifteen  pounds. 

Much  may  be  said  in  praise  of  the  quality  of  Delaine 
mutton.  It  easily  leads  in  the  Merino  families.  The 
wethers  mature  rather  quickly,  and  sell  at  a  good  price. 

The  Delaine  Merino  has  been  used  to  good  advantage 
in  crossing  to  produce  better  shearing  qualities  without 
detriment  to  the  mutton  qualities.  This  result  has  fre- 
quently been  secured  on  the  western  ranges. 

462.  Distribution.  —  Among   breeds   of   Merinos,    the 
Delaine  is  growing  in  popularity.     It  is  found  in  New 
York,  Pennsylvania,  Ohio,  Michigan,  Iowa  and  in  ad- 
joining states.     For  use  on  the  ranges,  the  Delaines  are 
finding  increasing  favor,  especially  where  the  pasturage 
is  good.    The  Black-top  Spanish  Merino  is  especially 
numerous  in  parts  of  Pennsylvania  where  it  was  devel- 
oped.    They  are  less  hardy  than  the  American  Merino. 

463.  Organizations    and    records.  —  At    present,    the 
most  representative  organization  caring  for  the  interests 
of  these  sheep  is  the  American  Delaine  Merino  Record 
Association,    mentioned    under    the    American    Merino. 
Starting  with  the  organization  of  the  Victor-Beall  De- 
laine Merino  Sheep  Breeders'  Association,  established  in 
1882,  in  Pennsylvania,  a  large  number  of  societies  have 
been  formed,  of  restricted  membership  and  more  or  less 
restricted    influence.     Several    of   these    have    published 
flock-books,  and  have  established  score-cards  for  judging 
purposes. 


THE  WOOL  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP  377 

RAMBOUILLET  OR  FRENCH  MERINO  SHEEP 
Figs.  75,  76. 

464.  The  Rambouillet  is  a  very  large  type  of  Merino, 
developed  in  France  from  Spanish  Merino  stock,  and  tak- 
ing its  name  from  the  Royal  farm  at  the  village  of  Ram- 
bouillet, near  Paris. 

465.  History.  —  The  first  importation  of  sheep  from 
Spain  to  the  Royal  farm  at  the  village  of  Rambouillet 
was  in   1786.     Other  importations  were  made  at  later 
dates.     The   improvement   was   secured   principally   by 
selection,  the  object  being  to  produce  a  large  carcass,  of 
good  mutton  form,  covered  with  a  good  fleece.    Much 
success  was  attained  in  point  of  size,  although  the  fleece 
did  not  increase  in  the  same  ratio.    The  French  govern- 
ment officials  kept  careful  records  of  their  breeding  opera- 
tions at  Rambouillet  for  upwards  of  a  hundred  years. 
Besides  the  flock  at  Rambouillet,  other  flocks  were  estab- 
lished in  France,  and  from  these  important  breeding  farms 
in  Germany  were  stocked. 

Rambouillets  were  first  brought  to  America  in  1840, 
under  the  name  of  French  Merinos.  Many  were  imported 
during  the  fifteen  years  following,  and  the  breed  had  rather 
widespread  popularity.  Between  the  years  1856  and 
1860,  a  number  of  Rambouillets,  bred  by  John  D.  Pat- 
terson, of  New  York,  and  descended  from  an  importa- 
tion of  his  own,  were  taken  to  California  and  became 
the  progenitors  of  several  very  noted  flocks  now  existing 
in  that  state.  In  1851,  a  company  of  Ohio  breeders, 
headed  by  A.  P.  Howard,  made  an  importation. 

At  first,  Rambouillets  were  welcomed,  but  later  they 
went  into  disfavor,  owing  principally  to  an  alleged  lack 


378 


THE  B SEEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


of  hardiness.  The  truth  is,  perhaps,  that  the  Rambouil- 
lets,  being  larger  than  American  Merinos,  require  more 
food,  which  was  not  always  given  them.  About  1890,  a 

revival  of  interest  in  the 
breed  occurred,  and  since 
then  it  has  greatly  increased 
in  distribution  and  in  esteem. 
The  later  breeders  have  not 
found  the  Rambouillet  to 
lack  in  hardiness.  Much 
blood  from  the  German  flock 
of  Baron  F.  Von  Homey er 
has  been  mingled  with  the 
bloods  of  France,  and  nu- 
merous importations  from  each  country  have  been  made. 
The  Franco-Merinos  represent  the  blood  of  the  Ram- 
bouillet and  the  American 
Merino. 

466.  Description.  —  The 
most  striking  difference  be- 
tween the  Rambouillet  and 


FIG.  75.  —  Rambouillet  ram. 


the  American  Merino  is  in 

size  (Figs.  75,  76).      Rams 

at  maturity  will  average  in 

weight  175  to  185  pounds, 

and  ewes  should  average  140 

to  160  pounds.     Individuals, 

both  male  and  female,  may 

go  as  much  as  a  hundred  pounds  heavier.     This  large 

body,    usually    smooth  and  free  from  wrinkles,   except 

perhaps,  one  or  two   folds  on  the  neck,  is  completely 

covered  with  a  fine  white  fleece,  not  bearing  too  much 

oil.    The  fleece  should  be  dense,  and  the  staple  about 


FIG.  76.  —  Rambouillet  ewe. 


THE  WOOL  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP        379 

V 

three  inches  in  length.  The  head  is  larger  in  proportion 
than  in  the  American  Merino,  the  nose  strongly  aquiline 
and  covered  with  fine,  white  hair  or  short,  fine  wool. 
The  rams  usually  have  large,  spirally  curved  horns, 
although  horns  may  be  entirely  lacking.  The  ewes  are 
hornless.  Sometimes  the  observer  is  impressed  by  the 
length  of  leg.  The  Rambouillet  is  also  characterized  by 
hardiness,  early  maturity,  longevity  and  prolificacy. 

467.  Uses   of   Rambouillet   sheep.  —  As   a   wool-pro- 
ducer, the  Rambouillet  ranks  below  the  other  Merinos  in 
percentage  of  fleece  to  body  weight,  and  in  fineness  and 
the  amount  of  oil  and  crimp,  although  it  ranks  well  when 
compared  with  other  breeds  of  sheep.     The  average  yield 
of  fleece  is  about  fifteen  pounds  for  rams  and  ten  pounds 
for  ewes. 

The  Rambouillet  fattens  well,  although  not  equaling 
the  English  breeds  in  this  respect,  and  produces  a  fair 
quality  of  mutton.  Rambouillets  on  the  ranges  have 
great  popularity,  owing  to  their  large  size,  hardiness  and 
the  ability  of  the  ewes  to  hold  their  wool  well  with  ad- 
vanced age.  Rambouillet  ewes  are  prolific  and  good 
mothers,  and  their  lambs  are  usually  hardy  and  strong  at 
birth,  and  come  on  fast. 

For  cross-breeding,  the  Rambouillet  is  in  great  favor. 
Crossed  with  sheep  of  any  of  the  mutton  breeds  it  nicks 
well,  making  a  very  fine  lamb,  large,  quick  to  fatten,  and 
having  a  good,  heavy  fleece  of  excellent  wool.  It  is  also 
used  very  successfully  on  American  Merinos  to  produce 
a  smoother  lamb  of  greater  size  and  hardiness. 

468.  Distribution.  —  The  demand  for  these  sheep  has 
been  wide,  especially  for  the  purpose  of  improving  wool- 
production  by  crossing  on  other  breeds.     Aside  from  those 
brought  to  North  America,  importations  have  been  made 


380  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

into  many  parts  of  Europe,  notably  Germany,  and  to 
Australia,  New  Zealand  and  Argentina  in  South  America. 
In  America,  the  Rambouillet  is  widely  distributed,  espe- 
cially in  the  middle  states  and  in  Utah,  Washington  and 
down  through  California. 

469.  Organizations  and  records.  —  In  1889,  the  Ameri- 
can Rambouillet  Sheep  Breeders'  Association  was  organ- 
ized at  Pontiac,  Michigan.  It  issues  a  flock-book.  In 
1901,  the  advocates  of  the  sheep  imported  from  the  Von 
Homeyer  flock  organized  the  Von  Homeyer  Association 
of  Rambouillet  Sheep.  The  Franco-American  Merino 
Association  was  organized  in  1900.  Neither  of  theJaiter 
two  associations  at  any  time  has  been  very  strong  or  has 
had  much  influence  on  the  development  of  the  breed. 


CHAPTER    XIV 
LESSER  KNOWN  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP 

470.  There  are  a  great  many  little-known  (in  America) 
breeds  of  sheep  that  are  worthy  of  mention,  as  some  of 
them  have  met  special  needs  in  special  regions,  and  have 
qualities  to   recommend  them.     There  are  still   others, 
such  as  the  Welsh  Mountain,  the  Lonk  and  the  Shetland, 
that  are  of  so  little  interest  to  farmers  in  America,  that 
they  may  safely  be  ignored. 

471.  Barbados    or    "  Woolless "     sheep    (Fig.     77). 
By  E.  L.  Shaw.  —  Representatives  of  this  breed  of  sheep 
were  imported  by  the  United  States  Department  of  Agri- 
culture from  the  island  of  Barbados,  West  Indies,  in  1904. 
It  is  thought  to  be  of  African  origin.     It  is  hardy  and  very 
prolific.     The  ewes  breed  at  any  season  of  the  year,  and 
produce  one  to  five  lambs  at  a  time.     The  young  lambs 
are  very  attractive.     The  breed  is  of  medium  size  and  has 
somewhat  of  a  deer-like  appearance.     The  color  varies 
from  a  light  fawn  to  a  dark  brown.    The  under  part  of 
the  body  and  the  legs  are  very  dark  in  color,  almost  black. 
The  ewes  are  hornless  and  the  rams  are  usually  so,  but 
in  some  cases  the  rams  have  small  horns  curving  back- 
ward and  downward.     The  rump  is  steep,  the  tail  set 
low,  reaching  the  hocks.    The  breed  is  practically  without 
wool,  the  body  being  covered  with  coarse  hair.     The 
small  quantity  of  wool  is  of  very  fine  fiber.    The  hair  has 
a  decided  crimp.     The  rams  have  a  very  decided  beard, 

381 


382  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

which  extends  from  the  angle  of  the  jaw  almost  to  the 
brisket.  This  breed  is  considered  to  be  valuable  in  warm 
climates  for  its  mutton. 

472.  Black-face  Highland  sheep.  By  John  A.  Craig. 
—  This  mountain  breed  of  sheep  is  most  commonly 
called  "  Black-Face,"  although  in  the  effort  to  be  more 

specific  it  is  frequently  re- 
ferred to  as  the  "  Scotch 
Black-Face"  or  the  Black- 
Face  Highland.  It  is  of  me- 
dium size,  with  a  bold, 
commanding  appearance, 
added  to  somewhat  by  the 
fact  that  both  the  ewes  and 
the  rams  have  horns.  The 

Jta.  77.  -  Woolless  sheep.  faCe  'S  m°ttled   Or  Speckled, 

the  fleece  long  in  fiber  and 

somewhat  coarse.  The  chief  point  of  merit  is  its  thrifti- 
ness  under  conditions  that  would  result  in  the  extinction 
of  almost  any  other  breed  of  sheep.  The  mature  sheep 
of  this  breed  are  very  hardy  and  easily  sustained.  They 
subsist  largely  on  heather  and  on  the  roughest  kind  of 
land,  and  withstand  extreme  exposure  during  severe 
storms.  The  newly  born  lambs  share  in  this  strength  of 
constitution,  and  they  are  singularly  equipped  to  undergo 
exposure  by  having  a  short,  tight  fleece  cover  them  from 
heel  to  ear  as  soon  as  born. 

The  Black-Face  may  justly  claim  to  be  one  of  the 
oldest  breeds  of  Great  Britain ;  and  being  so,  their  early 
history  is  little  known.  It  is  commonly  thought  that  they 
are  the  original  stock  of  the  country.  The  very  earliest 
mention  of  these  sheep  is  by  a  writer,  Hector  Boethius, 
born  in  1470,  who  says  that  until  the  introduction  of  the 


LESSER  KNOWN  BREEDS   OF  SHEEP  383 

Cheviot  sheep,  the  rough-wooled  Black-Face  was  the 
only  kind  known  in  the  vale  of  Esk.  The  breed  at  the 
present  time  has  been  estimated  to  comprise  about  two- 
thirds  of  the  sheep  stock  of  Scotland,  and  one-third  of 
the  total  sheep  stock  of  the  north  of  England. 

They  are  mainly  confined  to  this  territory,  for  their 
importation  to  other  countries  or  localities  has  not  been 
very  successful.  Some  have  come  to  America,  being  first 
imported  into  New  York  state  in  1861 ;  but  they  have 
not  been  popular  here. 

Black-Face  sheep  are  much  used  for  cross-breeding, 
but  no  infusion  of  outside  blood  has  been  successful  in 
improving  them  for  their  native  conditions.  In  addition 
to  their  hardiness,  they  have  other  characteristics  which 
adapt  them  peculiarly  for  the  Highlands.  They  are  not 
only  capable  of  traveling  long  distances  on  rough  ground 
in  search  of  food,  but  they  also  have  a  peculiar  " homing" 
instinct,  based  presumably  on 
their  strong  attachments  to 
certain  parts  of  their  grazing. 

473.  Herd  wick  sheep  (Fig. 
78).  By  John  A.  Craig.  — 
This  is  one  of  the  smaller 
mountain  breeds,  with  the 
instincts  and  type  of  moun- 
tain sheep  strongly  developed.  ^  78  _  Herdwick  ram. 
It  has  a  heavy  fleece  of  strong 

wool;  head  broad,  nose  arched  or  Roman,  eye  promi- 
nent and  lively.  Horns  in  the  rams  are  desirable. 

The  tradition  of  the  origin  of  these  sheep  is  that  they 
came  from  forty  small  sheep  that  escaped  from  the  gal- 
leons of  the  Spanish  Armada  that  were  wrecked  on  the 
coast  of  Cumberland,  making  the  ancestry  Spanish. 


384  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Macdonald  says  that  in  the  beginning  of  the  last  century 
a  ship  was  stranded  on  the  coast  of  Cumberland  that 
had  on  board  some  Scotch  sheep,  which  seem  to  have 
been  unknown  in  that  country.  The  sheep  were  landed 
and  turned  on  the  neighboring  hills.  Their  excellent 
qualities  and  adaptation  to  their  new  situation  became 
speedily  evident.  Their  fleece  was  considerably  finer 
than  that  of  the  common  black  sheep,  and  the  matted 
quality  of  the  wool  enabled  them  to  endure  any  severity 
of  weather,  and  even  to  pass  the  whole  of  the  winter  with- 
out the  smallest  quantity  of  hay  being  expended  upon 
them.  By  their  ceaseless  activity  they  scraped  away  the 
snow,  however  deeply  the  herbage  might  be  buried  under 
it. 

These  sheep  are  credited  with  living  to  a  very  old  age, 
Macdonald  stating  that  the  ewes  will  breed  for  fifteen  or 
twenty  years. 

In  the  English  Lake  country,  the  mountains  of  Cumber- 
land and  Westmoreland,  in  the  north  of  England,  these 
small  sheep  hold  their  own  against  the  encroachments  of 
all  other  breeds. 

474.  Persiacot  and  Persiarino  sheep.  By  E,  L. 
Shaw.  —  The  Persiacot  is  a  cross  between  the  Persian  and 
the  Cotswold  breeds.  This  cross-breed  is  said  to  be  very 
hardy,  and  produces  an  excellent  quality  of  mutton.  The 
lambs  make  very  rapid  gains,  and  are  in  demand  at  good 
prices.  The  Persiarino  is  a  cross  between  the  Persian 
and  the  Merino  breeds.  This  cross-breed  is  said  to  pro- 
duce a  very  hardy  sheep  and  an  excellent  quality  of 
mutton.  All  grades  of  these  crosses  are  said  to  be  fertile. 
The  Persian  resembles  the  Tunis,  has  a  fat  tail,  and 
dark,  hair-like  wool.  It  has  been  used  in  a  small  way 
in  the  West  for  crossing. 


LESSER  KNOWN  BREEDS  OF  SHEEP  385 

475.  Romney  Marsh  sheep.     By  John    A.   Craig.  — 
This  breed  takes  its  name  from  the  district  known  as 
Romney  Marsh  in  the  counties  of  Kent  and  Sussex,  in 
the  south  of  England,  which  has  led  also  to  its  being  spoken 
of  as  the  Kent  breed. 

The  Romney  Marsh  (Plate  XII)  may  be  said  to  be  one 
of  the  largest  of  the  lowland  breeds,  being  surpassed  in 
weight  only  by  the  Lincoln.  It  has  a  broad,  white  face, 
and  most  frequently  a  tuft  of  wool  on  the  forehead.  It 
does  not  have  horns.  The  native  or  original  stock  of  the 
breed  was  large  and  coarse,  but  it  is  likely  that  the  in- 
fusions of  Leicester  and  Lincoln  blood  added  both  to  its 
weight  and  improvement  of  appearance.  The  type  is  long 
and  low,  with  comparatively  thick  legs  and  feet,  and  a 
strong-boned  frame.  The  wool  is  long,  comparatively 
fine,  and  the  weight  of  the  fleece  from  six  and  one-half 
pounds  upward. 

The  special  utility  of  the  breed  is  its  adaptability  to 
low-lying  lands  which  produce  luxuriant  feed,  and  will 
stand  heavy  stocking.  The  Romney  Marsh  may  be  run 
more  thickly  on  such  ground  than  any  other  breed,  and 
continue  thrifty.  Under  such  conditions,  it  attains  a 
large  size  and  heavy  weight,  and  the  records  of  Smith- 
field  and  other  British  shows  bear  out  the  statement  that 
it  is  rarely  surpassed  in  the  latter  by  any  breed  excepting 
the  Lincoln. 

476.  Ryeland  sheep  (Fig.  79).     By  W.  L.  Carlyle.— 
The  Ryeland  breed  of  sheep  originated  many  years  ago 
in  the  midland  counties  of  England.     Its  name  comes 
from  the  Ryelands  of  Hereford,  a  poor  upland  district. 
The  breed  originated  by  crossing  Southdown  and  Leices- 
ter rams  on  the  old  Morfe  Common  type  of  sheep,  from 
which   the   Shropshire  breed   originated.     In   its   blood 

2c 


386 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


FIG.  79.  —  Ryeland  ram. 


lines  it  is  similar  to  the  Shropshire  and  the  Morfe  Com- 
mon sheep,  being  leggy,  with  light  fleece  and  a  speckled 
black  and  white  face.  The  Ryeland  breeder  selects  the 
lambs  with  the  white  faces  and  legs,  and  the  Shropshire 
breeder  takes  those  with  the  dark  faces  and  legs.  The 
Ryeland  is  a  very  compact  and  hardy  sheep,  and  fattens 
very  readily.  In  form,  it  is  thick  and  heavy  in  the 

hind-quarters,  with  broad, 
level  back,  full  round  body, 
a  little  inclined  to  be  coarse 
in  the  shoulders,  short,  well- 
set  neck,  and  broad  head, 
with  some  wool  covering  on 
the  head.  Its  legs  are  short 
and  straight.  The  Ryeland 
is  an  active,  vigorous  sheep, 
midway  between  the  South- 
down and  the  Shropshire  in  type  and  adaptability.  Both 
the  lambs  and  the  ewes  of  the  Ryeland  breed  are  hornless, 
and  the  wool  is  finer  in  character,  perhaps,  than  that  of 
any  of  the  other  medium-wool  breeds. 

The  first  importation  of  the  Ryeland  sheep  into  America 
was  made  by  George  McKerrow,  of  Pewaukee,  Wiscon- 
sin, early  in  the  summer  of  1907,  for  the  Colorado  Agri- 
cultural College.  The  breed  has  been  but  a  short  time 
in  this  country,  but  it  is  well  adapted  for  the  mutton- 
producing  sections  of  America.  The  lambs  are  dropped 
very  fat,  and  the  ewes  are  wonderfully  good  mothers. 
They  seem  to  cross  well  with  both  the  Southdowns  and 
Shropshires.  The  fleece  of  the  Ryeland  is  not  so  heavy 
nor  so  dense  as  that  of  the  Shropshire,  but  it  is  longer 
and  finer  in  the  staple. 
477.  Tunis  sheep.  By  David  McCrae.  —  Tunis  is  a 


LESSER  KNOWN  BREEDS   OF  SHEEP  887 

province  of  North  Africa  bordering  on  the  Mediterranean 
sea.  Much  of  the  land  is  hilly.  The  fat-tailed  sheep 
living  in  the  upland  region  of  the  province  are  called 
Tunis  sheep. 

They  are  generally  hornless ;  face  and  legs  of  a  yellow- 
brown  or  tawny  color ;  a  few  are  brown  or  mottled  brown 
and  white.  The  tail  is  broad,  being  five  to  ten  inches 
wide,  and  is  usually  docked  to  about  six  inches.  The 
ears  are  large,  broad,  pendulous  and  covered  with  fine 
hair.  The  fleece  is  soft,  fine  and  fairly  compact,  about 
three  inches  long,  and  varies  in  color.  One  may  have  a 
fleece  almost  white,  another  reddish,  and  another  mottled. 
Mature  specimens  weigh  120  to  150  pounds. 

The  origin  of  the  Tunis  breed  is  unknown.  The  type 
has  no  doubt  existed  in  Tunis  for  centuries,  and  also 
in  the  adjoining  sections  of  North  Africa.  Similar  fat- 
tailed  sheep  are  found  in  Syria  and  are  supposed  to  be 
derived  from  a  variety  of  the  primitive  race  bred  by  the 
patriarchs  and  the  early  shepherds  of  Palestine  and  ad- 
jacent lands. 

The  introduction  of  Tunis  sheep  to  America  is  said  to 
date  back  to  1779,  when  the  Bey  of  Tunis  allowed  General 
Wm.  Eaton,  then  United  States  Consul  at  Tunis,  to  ship 
to  America  several  "  broad-tailed  Barbary  or  Mountain 
Tunis  sheep."  Only  one  pair  reached  the  United  States. 
These  were  placed  in  the  care  of  Judge  Richard  Peters, 
on  his  farm  near  Philadelphia,  where  they  did  well  and 
increased  in  numbers.  The  original  ram  was  afterwards 
used  on  the  farm  of  General  Hand,  in  Lancaster  county, 
Pennsylvania.  In  1807  or  1808,  another  importation 
was  made  by  Commodore  Barron  of  the  United  States 
navy.  These  were  bred  in  Virginia  and  the  District  of 
Columbia.  In  1825,  another  importation  was  made, 


388  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

some  of  which  went  to  near  Albany,  New  York.  From 
the  early  Peters  flock,  these  sheep  spread  into  Georgia 
and  South  Carolina,  and  were  common  in  the  South  be- 
fore the  Civil  War,  which  nearly  exterminated  them. 
More  recently  Roundtree,  of  Indiana,  has  been  a  leading 
promoter  of  the  breed.  There  are  several  flocks  in  Indi- 
ana and  Ohio.  In  1876,  an  American  Tunis  Sheep  Breed- 
ers' Association  was  organized. 

The  Tunis  as  a  mutton  sheep  has  met  with  much  favor. 
The  lambs  fatten  early,  and  as  the  ewes  will  breed  at 
various  seasons  they  have  been  used  to  raise  lambs  for 
the  Christmas  market.  Cross-bred  lambs  are  popular, 
as  they  are  easily  and  quickly  fattened  and  yield  mutton 
of  an  excellent  quality.  As  a  wool-producer,  the  Tunis 
does  not  rank  high.  The  color  is  objectionable,  and  the 
weight  of  the  fleece  is  only  six  to  eight  pounds. 

478.  Wensleydale  sheep  (Fig.  80).  By  John  A. 
Craig.  —  Being  included  among  the  lowland  breeds,  these 

sheep  have  the  characteristics 
most  common  to  sheep  of 
that  class,  namely,  large  size, 
with  long  wool,  thereby  at- 
taining heavy  weights  of 
both  carcass  and  fleece.  The 
Wensleydale  is  an  upstanding 
sheep,  similar  to  the  Leices- 

FIG.  80.  — Wensleydale  ram.        ter     in     Some     respects,      but 

with  more   style.     The  face 

and  skin  are  of  a  bluish  tinge,  and  this  characteristic  is 
encouraged,  while  in  nearly  all  the  other  breeds  a  pink 
skin  is  sought,  and  the  bluish  tinge  considered  undesir- 
able. The  wool  of  these  sheep  is  peculiar  in  that  it  is 
unusually  lustrous,  and  is  very  wavy  or  full  of  "  pirls," 


LESSEE   KNOWN  BREEDS   OF  SHEEP  389 

as  they  are  called.  It  is  long,  strong  and  comparatively 
fine,  considering  its  length. 

The  original  stock  of  this  breed  seems  to  have  been 
most  prevalent  in  Yorkshire,  and  at  an  early  day  it  was 
known  as  the  Teeswater.  The  new  name  of  Wensley- 
dale  Longwool  was  attached  to  it  about  the  time  the 
Yorkshire  Agricultural  Society  began  giving  prizes  for  it, 
it  being  more  common  in  Wensleydale  than  in  any  other 
district.  Its  origin  seems  to  be  akin  to  that  of  the  old 
Leicester  breed,  and  later  infusions  of  Leicester  blood 
undoubtedly  have  been  made.  The  present  type  and 
characteristics  have  long  been  fixed,  however. 

The  rams  are  used  to  cross  on  Black-Faced  ewes, 
as  it  has  been  found  that  the  cross-bred  product  makes 
a  good  feeding-lamb,  and  they  have  the  additional  desir- 
able qualification  of  throwing  dark-faced  lambs. 

The  breed  is  confined  closely  to  its  native  district, 
few  having  been  exported  to  other  countries.  The  most 
notable  introduction  of  Wensleydale  sheep  to  America 
was  the  importation  made  by  the  Wyoming  Agricultural 
Experiment  Station,  which  is  said  to  be  giving  promise 
of  valuable  results.  Aside  from  this,  little  attention  has 
been  given  the  breed  in  this  country. 

The  Wensleydale  has  two  societies  and  flock-books 
devoted  to  it  —  the  Pure  Select  Wensleydale  Sheep 
Breeders'  Association,  with  headquarters  at  Carperby, 
Bedale,  England,  and  the  Wensleydale  Longwool  Sheep 
Breeders'  Association  and  Flock-Book  Society,  with  head- 
quarters at  Howgrave,  Ripon,  England. 


CHAPTER  XV 
GOATS 

THE  goat,  Capra  spp.,  Bovidce,  is  a  genus  of  quadrupeds, 
very  closely  allied  to  the  sheep.  It  seems  probable  that  the 
domestic  goat  is  descended  from  the  Persian  pasang  (Capra 
cegagriLs),  which  is  the  most  characteristic  species  of  the 
wild  goats.  The  types  of  domestic  goats  that  have  been 
developed  under  their  long  period  of  domestication  are  very 
numerous,  but  comparatively  few  are  of  economic  value  in 
America.  Perhaps  the  Angora  (Capra  angorensis)  is  the 
best  known  in  this  country,  although  the  interest  in  milch 
goats  is  increasing.  The  zoological  origin  of  the  Angora 
goat  is  not  known.  The  prevailing  opinion  seems  to  be 
that  the  foundation  stock  is  some  derivative  of  Capra 
cegagrus,  perhaps  with  crosses  from  the  markhor  (C.  fal- 
coneri)  or  other  wild  Asian  species.  The  goat  has  never 
been  held  in  high  esteem  in  America,  but  this  attitude 
may  change. 

Mention  should  be  made  of  the  Cashmere  or  Shawl 
goat  of  India,  which  is  valued  for  its  fine,  silk-like  under- 
wool,  much  prized  in  shawls.  "  Mountain  goat  "  is  men- 
tioned under  Sheep. 

ANGORA  GOAT.    Fig.  8L 
By  E.  L.  Shaw 

479.  The  Angora  is  raised  primarily  for  its  mohair  and 
meat.  The  male  goat  is  called  a  buck,  the  female  a  doe, 
the  castrated  male  a  wether,  and  the  young  a  kid. 

390 


GOATS  391 

480.  Origin.  —  The  Angora  goat  derives  its  name  from 
the  vilayet  of  Angora,  in  Asia  Minor.     The  city  of  Angora 
is  the  capital  of  the  vilayet  of  Angora,  and  is  located 
about  two  hundred  miles  south-by-southeast  from  Con- 
stantinople.    The  province  is  mountainous  to  a  consider- 
able extent  and  furrowed  by  deep  valleys.    The  climate 
is  extreme.     Some  writers  have  ventured  to  say  that  the 
Angora  goat  originated  in  this  district  over  2400  years  ago. 

It  is  said  that  the  pure  Angora  goat  was  nearly  bred 
out  in  1863.  The  reason  for  this  was  the  extensive  cross- 
ing with  the  common  Kurd  goat. 

481.  History  in  America.  —  The  first  importation  of 
Angora  goats  to  America  was  made  in  1849.     During  the 
administration  of  President  Polk,  says  Colonel  Richard 
Peters,  the  Sultan  of  Turkey  requested  that  a  suitable 
person  be  sent  to  that  country  to  conduct  some  experi- 
ments in  the  culture  of  cotton.     James  B.  Davis,  of  South 
Carolina,  was  delegated.     On  his  return  to  the  United 
States  in  1849,  the  Sultan  presented  to  him  nine  choice 
Angoras.     These  animals  were  imported  as  Cashmeres, 
and  were  so  regarded  until  after  they  were  purchased  by 
Colonel  Richard  Peters  in  1853.    This  importation  was 
frequently  exhibited  at  fairs,  and  always  attracted  much 
attention.     Colonel  Peters  is  generally  regarded  as  the 
real  founder  of  the  Angora  goat  industry  in  America. 

There  have  been,  from  time  to  time,  various  other  im- 
portations of  Angoras  from  Turkey  and  South  Africa. 
These  are  widely  disseminated,  and  the  blood  of  most  of 
them  has  been  beneficial  to  the  industry  in  this  country. 
The  Civil  war  was  disastrous  in  its  effects  on  the  industry, 
and  the  Angora  goats  in  the  southern  and  eastern  sections 
of  the  country  were  practically  exterminated.  The 
western  men  who  adopted  the  industry,  and  finally  saved 


392  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

it,  were  William  M.  Landrum,  C.  P.  Bailey  and  John  S. 
Harris. 

482.  Description.  —  The  Angora  goat  was  formerly 
described  as  a  small  animal,  but,  owing  to  favorable  con- 
ditions, its  size  has  been  greatly  increased  (Fig.  81). 
It  is  smaller  than  the  common  goat,  weighing  sixty  to 
one  hundred  pounds,  although  specimens  are  frequently 
found  that  weigh  considerably  more.  Both  males  and 
females  have  horns  and  beards,  but  in  rare  instances  an 
animal  without  horns  may  be  seen.  The  horns  of  the 
male  grow  to  a  length  of  fifteen  to  twenty  inches  and 
turn  upward  and  outward  with  a  backward  twist,  while 
those  of  the  female,  which  grow  to  a  length  of  eight  to 
ten  inches,  grow  upward  and  point  backward,  with  only 
a  slight  inclination  to  twist.  The  horns  are  grayish  in 
color,  never  black.  The  body  should  be  round,  the  back 
straight,  with  shoulder  and  hips  of  equal  height.  The 
chest  should  be  broad ;  legs  short  and  strong ;  head  broad, 

with  a  wide  muzzle  and  bright 
eyes;  ears  either  partially 
upright  or  distinctly  pendent, 
and  six  to  eight  inches  long. 
The  fleece  should  be  pure 
white,  covering  all  parts  of 
the  body,  as  dense  on  the 

FIG.  81.  -  Angora  goats.  belly  and  neck  as  on  the  back 

and  sides,  and  it  should  ex- 
tend to  the  ears  and  the  jaw.  Many  Angoras  have 
mohair  on  the  forehead,  face  and  legs.  The  mohair 
should  make  an  annual  growth  of  not  less  than  eight  to 
ten  inches,  and  weigh  three  to  five  pounds  per  fleece. 
It  should  hang  in  well-formed  ringlets  from  all  parts  of 
the  body,  and  should  be  fine,  soft,  lustrous  and  strong. 


GOATS  393 

The  fleece  should  be  free  from  kemp.  The  fibers  become 
coarser,  thinner  and  straighter  as  the  animal  grows  older. 
The  best  mohair  grows  on  goats  of  the  best  blood ;  and 
among  these,  that  on  the  kids,  yearling  wethers  and  does 
is  superior  in  the  order  named. 

The  offensive  odor  from  the  bucks  of  the  common  goat 
is  entirely  absent  in  the  Angora  breed,  except  at  the  rut- 
ting season,  and  then  it  is  noticeable  only  in  a  slight 
degree.  The  odor  in  a  fleece  of  mohair  is  milder  than 
that  in  a  fleece  of  wool. 

483.  Types.  —  Some  strains  of  Angoras  have  fox-like 
ears,  but  those  with  the  pendent  ears  are  preferred.     In 
this  country,  care  must  always  be  exercised  to  cull  the 
off-colored  kids  from  the  flock.     These  may  be  the  result 
of  atavism,  from  a  cross  made  on  a  common  goat,  either 
red  or  black.     It  is  reported  that  different  colors  are 
found  in  the  province  of  Angora  among  what  were  sup- 
posed to  be  pure-bred  animals.     Some  Angoras  have  very 
little  or  no  mohair  on  the  forehead  and  legs,  while  others 
have  a  tuft  on  the  forehead,  and  the  legs  are  well  covered 
down  to  the  feet. 

484.  Distribution.  —  Angora  goats  are  widely  distrib- 
uted throughout    America.     They  are  found  in  almost 
every  state  and  territory  in  the  Union,  the  largest  numbers 
being  in  Texas,  New  Mexico,  California,  Arizona,  Oregon 
and  Montana.    They  are  found  in  large  numbers  in  Cape 
Colony.    The  census  report  for  April,   1904,  gives   the 
number  in  Cape  Colony  as  2,775,927.     It  is  estimated  that 
in  1894,  there  were  over  1,230,000  Angoras  in  Asia  Minor. 

485.  Breeding  of  Angoras.  —  Goats  of  both  sexes  will 
sometimes  breed  when  they  are  five  or  six  months  old,  but 
from  the  fact  that  at  this  age  they  are  but  a  month  or 
two  from  weaning  time,  and  are  not  fully  grown,  it  is 


394  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

obvious  that  they  should  not  be  permitted  to  breed. 
They  reach  maturity  when  about  sixteen  or  eighteen 
months  old,  and  they  should  not  be  bred  before  this 
time.  If  bred  earlier,  the  kids  will  not  be  so  strong,  nor 
so  well  developed.  The  goats  are  in  their  prime  when 
two  to  six  years  old.  Does  should  not  be  kept  until  they 
are  very  old,  unless  they  produce  kids  of  exceptional 
merit,  for  their  mohair  becomes  coarse*  and  less  valuable 
as  they  mature.  The  average  life  of  goats  is  about  twelve 
years. 

Bucks  usually  come  in  heat  about  the  middle  of  July, 
and  continue  so  about  six  months.  Does  do  not  usually 
come  in  heat  until  the  latter  part  of  August  or  the  first  of 
September.  The  period  of  gestation  is  147  to  155  days. 
The  kids  should  not  come  before  the  warm  days  of  spring, 
or  when  vegetation  begins  to  put  out  vigorously.  The 
only  objection  to  early  kidding  is  the  extra  care  required 
to  preserve  the  life  of  the  kids,  for  they  are  delicate  for 
the  first  few  days. 

A  buck  should  be  in  the  best  possible  condition  when 
put  to  service,  and  should  be  fed  some  grain  during  the 
breeding  season.  For  the  best  results,  about  forty  or 
fifty  does  should  be  allowed  to  a  buck.  The  pure-bred 
Angora  does  not  often  drop  more  than  one  kid  at  a  time, 
while  the  common  goat  nearly  always  drops  two.  The 
kidding  season  is  the  most  important  in  the  life  of  the  goats. 
For  several  days  after  the  kids  are  dropped,  they  naturally 
demand  good  care.  After  a  few  weeks  they  are  able  to 
care  for  themselves,  and  can  follow  the  flock. 

A  few  days  before  a  doe  is  due  to  kid,  she  should  be 
separated  from  the  flock.  Some  breeders  would  put  her 
alone  in  a  pen,  while  others  would  put  as  many  as  twenty 
in  one  pen.  If  the  facilities  are  at  hand,  a  small  pen  for 


GOATS  395 

each  doe  is  better,  for  the  reason  that  the  doe  will  own 
the  kid  sooner,  and  there  will  be  less  danger  of  injury. 
If  kids  are  dropped  on  the'  range  or  in  the  pasture,  they 
must  be  carried  home  and  special  care  given  to  see  that 
the  does  are  made  to  own  them,  for  many  times  they  will 
refuse,  especially  if  they  have  no  milk. 

There  are  in  use  two  methods  of  handling  the  does  and 
kids  at  kidding  time,  namely,  the  corral  method  and  the 
staking  method.  Each  of  these  methods  has  its  advan- 
tages. 

(1)  The  corral  method  may  be  used  with  any  number 
of  goats.     When  a  large  number  of  does  are  expected  to 
kid,  it  is  necessary  to  have  one  or  two  large  corrals  and 
several  smaller  ones.     The  does  expected  to  kid,  or  those 
that  have  kidded,  are  put  in  the  small  corrals,  and  after 
a  day  or  so  are  removed  to  one  of  the  larger  ones.     This 
procedure  is  repeated  until  all  the  does  have  kidded. 

(2)  The  other,  the  Mexican  or  "  staking  method,"  is 
used  largely  in  Texas  and  New  Mexico.    When  a  kid  is 
born,  it  is  taken  to  a  convenient  place  to  "  stake  "  and  the 
mother  is  coaxed  to  follow,  and  the  kid  is  "  staked  "  or 
"  toggled  "  with  a  string  about  twelve  inches  long.     This 
string  is  tied  to  one  leg,  being  changed  occasionally  from 
one  leg  to  another  to  avoid  lameness.     The  string  should 
have  a  swivel  on  it  to  prevent  twisting.     Kids  are  usually 
staked  for  a  week  to  ten  days. 

Kids  should  not  be  weaned  until  they  are  about  four 
months  old.  The  buck  kids,  not  intended  for  breeding 
purposes,  should  be  castrated  when  about  two  weeks  old. 
The  earlier  it  is  done,  the  better  will  be  the  meat  and 
mohair. 

No  amount  of  cold  will  prove  injurious  to  goats  if  they 
are  kept  dry.  A  shed  of  easy  access  is  one  of  the  essentials 


396  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

of  goat-raising.  Angoras  are  able  to  withstand  both  ex- 
treme heat  and  extreme  cold  if  proper  shelter  and  feed  be 
provided.  They  require  a  large  amount  of  fresh  air  and 
exercise. 

486.  Feeding.  —  The  browsing  habit  of  goats  is  an  im- 
portant factor  in  their  feeding.     In  some  sections,  they 
secure  browse  all  through  the  winter  season,  as  in  the 
Southwest,   where   there   is   an   abundance   of   live-oak. 
Corn  fodder,  cowpea  hay,  clover  hay  and  alfalfa  are  all 
excellent  coarse  feeds.     Oats,  corn  and  bran  are  valuable 
winter  rations.     Goats  require  more  salt  than  do  sheep, 
owing  to  the  more  astringent  character  of  their  feed.     A 
running  stream  in  a  pasture  is  valuable,  but  if  it  is  not 
present,  good,  fresh  water  should  be  supplied. 

487.  Marking.  —  Several  devices  for  marking  goats  are 
in  use,  but  the  metal  tag  in  the  ear  is  probably  best  known. 
A  practice  which  appears  to  give  satisfaction  is  to  tattoo 
the  numbers  into  the  ear,  using  indelible  ink.     It  is  found 
that  the  metal  is  sometimes  pulled  out  by  brush. 

488.  Shearing.  —  In  Texas,  New  Mexico,  Arizona  and 
sometimes  in  California,  shearing  is  done  twice  a  year, 
usually  in  the  months  of  March  and  April,  and  in  Septem- 
ber or  October.     The  reason  for  this  practice  is  that,  owing 
to  the  warm  climate,  the  fleece  will  often  shed  in  the  fall 
if  not  clipped.     In  other  parts  of  the  country,  shearing  is 
done  but  once  a  year,  and  that  in  the  months  of  March, 
April  and  May.     The  shearing  machines  largely  employed 
among  sheep-raisers  are  coming  into  general  use  among 
goat-breeders. 

Goats  are  not  so  gentle  in  the  hands  of  the  shearer  as 
sheep,  and  many  men,  especially  among  beginners  in  the 
industry,  desire  to  know  how  best  to  handle  them  during 
the  operation  of  shearing.  For  this  purpose,  a  simple 


GOATS  897 

combination  trough  and  table  was  devised  by  F.  W. 
Ludlow,  of  Lake  Valley,  New  Mexico.  This  table  is  first 
used  in  the  shape  of  a  trough.  The  goat  is  placed  in 
it  on  its  back  and  held  down  by  means  of  a  strap  across 
its  throat.  While  in  this  position  all  the  underparts, 
sides  and  legs  may  be  worked  on.  In  machine  shearing, 
it  is  a  good  practice  to  start  at  the  brisket  and  shear  all 
the  belly  as  far  back  as  possible ;  then  shear  the  front  legs 
and  neck ;  then  start  at  the  hocks  and  shear  up  the  hind- 
legs  and  along  the  sides  to  the  point  of  beginning.  After 
shearing  one  of  the  sides  allowed  by  the  trough,  the  goat 
is  tied  —  "  hog  tied/'  to  use  a  western  expression  —  that 
is,  all  four  feet  are  tied  together.  The  sides  of  the  trough 
are  now  dropped,  forming  a  table  on  which  to  finish  the 
operation.  There  is  now  free  access  from  the  tail  to  the 
head,  and  the  goat  remains  helpless.  The  proper  course 
is  to  leave  all  the  fleece  on  the  table  until  the  goat  is  liber- 
ated, and  then  roll  it  up  inside  out. 

Ludlow's  description  of  this  table  is  given  herewith: 
"  The  table  is  simple  in  construction.  It  is  about  22 
inches  high,  2  feet  10  inches  long  and  21  inches  wide. 
The  top  is  composed  of  two  9-inch  sides,  which  are  hinged 
to  the  3-inch  centerpiece.  On  the  lower  side  of  these 
movable  flaps  is  a  narrow  piece  8  inches  long,  which  catches 
on  the  framework  of  the  table  when  the  sides  are  lifted 
and  holds  them  stationary.  When  the  sides  are  elevated, 
the  top  of  the  table  forms  a  trough  3  inches  wide  at  the 
bottom  and  possibly  a  foot  wide  at  the  top.  Into  this 
trough  the  goat  to  be  shorn  is  thrown,  feet  up.  A  small 
strap,  which  hangs  from  the  end  of  one  of  the  sides,  is 
run  over  the  goat's  neck  and  fastened  to  the  other  side. 
The  goat's  head  is  hanging  over  the  end  of  the  table  and 
the  strap  prevents  it  getting  free.  The  belly  and  legs  are 


398  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

then  shorn.  The  legs  of  the  goat  are  then  tied  together, 
the  strap  removed  from  the  neck,  and  the  sides  of  the 
table  dropped,  so  that  one  has  a  plane  surface  on  which 
to  shear  the  rest  of  the  animal.  An  untrained  man  can 
shear  100  goats  a  day  with  a  shearing  machine  and  such 
a  table." 

Few  breeders  wash  their  goats  before  shearing,  and  if 
the  animal  has  been  properly  cared  for  during  the  winter 
and  early  spring,  washing  is  not  necessary.  Breeders  find 
it  to  their  advantage  to  ship  the  mohair  in  as  clean  a  con- 
dition as  possible.  Colored  fleeces,  tag  locks,  mohair  that 
is  clotted  and  that  which  is  dirty,  should  be  packed  sepa- 
rately. As  kid  hair  is  usually  the  finest,  it  should  be 
packed  by  itself ;  the  doe  hair  and  that  from  the  wethers 
may  be  placed  together.  Fleeces  should  not  be  tied  with 
twine,  as  parts  of  it  are  likely  to  adhere  to  the  fleece,  and 
can  be  removed  only  by  great  care  and  effort.  Fleeces 
from  Turkey  and  Cape  Colony  are  not  tied  at  all,  but  are 
simply  rolled  up  inside  out ;  this  is  the  condition  in  which 
the  mills  desire  to  receive  them. 

489.  Uses  of  Angoras.  —  The  Angora  goat  is  considered 
one  of  the  most  useful  of  the  domestic  animals,  and  has 
been  so  held  from  remote  times.  This  usefulness  is  mani- 
fested in  many  ways. 

The  mohair.  —  The  fleece,  called  "  mohair,"  is  used 
extensively  in  the  manufacture  of  plushes.  It  is  not 
generally  known  that  practically  all  of  the  plushes  used  in 
railway  passenger  coaches  and  street  cars  are  made  of 
mohair.  Besides  these  plushes,  which  are  usually  plain, 
large  quantities  of  frieze  and  crush  plushes  are  used  in 
upholstering  furniture.  The  designs  for  the  frieze  plushes 
are  limited  only  by  the  ingenuity  of  man.  The  carriage 
robes,  couch  covers,  sofa-pillow  covers  and  rugs  are  dis- 


GOATS  399 

tinguished  by  their  high  pile  and  rich  coloring.  Most  of 
the  so-called  astrachan  now  in  use  is  made  of  mohair. 

Besides  plushes,  dress  goods  of  various  designs,  coats 
and  coat-linings,  table  covers,  knit  mits,  mittens  and 
gloves,  are  made  from  mohair. 

In  addition  to  the  mohair,  there  grows  on  the  Angora 
goat  coarse,  chalky  white,  stiff,  straight  hair,  varying  in 
length  from  half  an  inch  to  four  inches,  technically  known 
as  "  kemp."  It  is  generally  thought  that  kemp  is  a  relic 
of  the  common  goat  blood  in  the  Angora,  as  it  is  a  matter 
of  history  that  the  Angora  flocks  of  America,  as  well  as 
those  of  Asia  Minor  and  South  Africa,  have  been  largely 
increased  by  crossing  does  of  common  blood.  It  is  ob- 
jectionable. 

The  skins.  —  The  skins  of  the  Angoras,  if  taken  when 
the  hair  is  about  four  inches  long,  make  very  handsome 
rugs.  The  hair  retains  its  original  luster,  and  may  be 
used  in  the  natural  white,  or  dyed  any  color  desired. 
Carriage-robes  are  frequently  manufactured  from  the 
skins.  The  smaller  skins  of  the  does,  wethers  and  kids 
find  a  use  as  robes  for  baby  carriages,  and  are  extremely 
attractive.  The  skins  are  also  used  in  the  manufacture 
of  children's  muffs,  and  as  trimmings  for  coats  and  capes. 
The  finest  kid  fleeces  adorn  the  collar  and  border  of  some 
of  the  ladies'  opera  cloaks. 

To  clear  brush  land.  —  Goats  are  browsers  by  nature, 
and  there  is  no  vegetation  they  will  eat  in  preference  to 
leaves  and  twigs  of  bushes.  The  Angora  has  been  used 
in  many  parts  of  the  country  for  clearing  land  covered 
with  brushwood.  In  localities  where  valuable  land  is 
completely  overgrown  with  brushwood,  the  goats  are  con- 
sidered of  more  value  for  clearing  it  than  for  their  mohair 
or  meat. 


400  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

The  milk.  —  The  Angora  is  not  primarily  a  milch  goat, 
and  is  not  often  employed  for  that  purpose.  Information 
at  hand  shows  that  the  quantity  of  milk  given  by  an 
Angora  doe  is  uncertain,  and  in  exceptional  cases  only 
does  it  approach  in  quantity  that  produced  by  the  estab- 
lished breeds  of  milch  goats,  such  as  the  Toggenburg, 
Saanen,  Maltese  and  Nubian. 

The  meat.  —  The  flesh  of  Angora  goats  is  exceedingly 
nutritious  and  palatable.  When  properly  fattened,  they 
produce  a  meat  so  nearly  like  the  best  lamb  that  it  takes 
an  expert  to  detect  the  difference.  A  large  number  of 
Angoras  are  slaughtered  annually  in  Texas,  Arizona, 
New  Mexico  and  California.  In  Cape  Colony,  it  is 
said  that  old  does  are  slaughtered  to  furnish  meat  for 
farm  hands,  and  young  wethers  are  sold  to  butchers  in 
the  towns. 

Kansas  City  is  the  leading  goat  market,  over  sixty 
thousand  head  having  been  sold  in  this  one  market  in 
one  year. 

Protection  for  sheep.  —  There  is  very  little  complaint 
heard  from  breeders  of  Angora  goats  concerning  the 
ravages  of  dogs.  Bucks  can  be  trained  to  fight  dogs  and 
thus  be  a  protection  to  sheep.  A  few  goats  will  stay  with 
a  flock  of  sheep,  but  if  there  are  many  of  them  they  will 
be  likely  to  separate. 

Pets.  —  As  pets  for  children,  Angora  goats  are  popular. 
They  are  remarkably  intelligent  and  are  easily  trained. 
They  are  often  harnessed  to  carts. 

490.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  American  An- 
gora Goat  Breeders'  Association,  organized  in  1900,  main- 
tains the  only  record  of  pure-bred  Angora  goats  in  America. 
This  organization  has  a  membership  of  over  five  hundred 
breeders,  representing  nearly  every  state  and  territory  in 


GOATS  401 

the  Union.    Over  sixty-five  thousand  animals  are  recorded 
in  the  Angora  Goat  Record. 

• 

Literature.  —  George  Fayette  Thompson,  Angora  Goat  Raising 
and  Milch  Goats ;  William  L.  Black,  A  New  Industry ;  C.  P.  Bailey, 
Practical  Angora  Goat  Raising;  Gustav  A.  Hoerle,  The  Angora 
Goat :  Its  Habits  and  Culture ;  John  L.  Hayes,  The  Angora  Goat : 
Its  Origin,  Culture  and  Products;  S.  C.  Cronwright  Schreiner,  The 
Angora  Goat;  George  Edward  Allen,  Angora  Goats,  the  Wealth 
of  the  Wilderness ;  C.  P.  Bailey,  California  Angoras ;  E.  H.  Jobson, 
Angora  Goat  Raising;  George  Fayette  Thompson,  Information 
concerning  the  Angora  Goat,  Bulletin  No.  27,  Bureau  of  Animal 
Industry,  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture;  George  Fay- 
ette Thompson,  The  Angora  Goat,  Farmers'  Bulletin  No.  137, 
United  States  Department  of  Agriculture.  This  article  is  largely 
adapted  from  the  bulletins  on  Angora  goats  prepared  by  the  late 
George  Fayette  Thompson. 


MILCH  GOATS.    Capra  Urcus.    Figs.  82-84. 
By  William  C.  Clos 

491.  The  breeding  of  goats  for  the  production  of  milk 
is  a  growing  industry  in  some  parts  of  America.     In  the 
development  of  the  dairy  type,   numerous  breeds  and 
varieties  of  goats  have  been  produced,  adapted  to  meet 
different  conditions. 

492.  Description.  —  According  to  the  best  authorities, 
the  following  general  points  and  qualities  are  applicable 
to  all  types  of  milch  goats.     They  must  possess  good 
forms,  indicating  constitutional  strength  and  high  pro- 
ductiveness.   The  head  must  be  light  (dry),  eyes  fresh 
and  lively,  horns  (in  all  horned  breeds)  small,  neck  broad, 
breast  wide,  ribs  well  sprung,  back  long  and  straight,  hips 
broad  and  strong,   legs  sinewy  and  straight.     Healthy 

2o 


402 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


claws,  a  fine,  thin  skin  and  a  well-developed,  but  not  too 

pendent,  udder  (Fig.  82)  and  good  teeth  are  also  necessary 

requisites.  . 

493.   General  history.  —  Goats  are  among  the  oldest 

domestic  animals,  and  have  contributed  their  share  to 

the  subsistence  of 
mankind  as  far  back 
as  historic  evidences 
reach.  Rutimeier  dis- 
covered their  remains 
among  the  ruined  piles 
of  the  ancient  lake- 
dwellers  in  Switzer- 
land. Goats  and  their 
products  are  men- 
tioned frequently  in 
the  Bible,  and  by 


FIG.  82.  —  Milch  goats  with  udders 
too  pendent. 


Herodotus  and  Homer,  and  have  maintained  their  popu- 
larity, especially  among  oriental  nations,  to  this  day. 

The  question  of  their  origin  is  still  in  dispute.  Accord- 
ing to  Julmy,  a  majority  of  zoologists  maintain  that  the 
European  goat  is  descended  from  the  Persian  Pasang  or 
Bezoar  goat  (Capra  cegagrus),  while  others  seem  to  trace 
it  to  the  alpine  Ibex  (Capra  ibex). 

Whatever  may  have  been  their  origin,  they  have  exerted 
a  strong  influence  on  the  economic  welfare  of  the  peoples 
among  whom  they  have  been  found.  Their  growth  in 
numbers,  outside  of  America,  has  been  noteworthy; 
although  even  in  this  country  their  popularity  is  increas- 
ing. The  following  statistics  indicate  their  popularity. 
G.  F.  Thompson  states,  in  his  "  Information  concerning 
Common  Goats,"  published  in  1903,  that  there  were 
1,871,252  goats  of  all  kinds  kept  on  farms  in  the  United 


GOATS  403 

States,  as  reported  in  the  census  for  1900,  represent- 
ing a  total  value  of  $3,266,080.  Besides  these,  there 
were  78,353  goats  reported  for  cities  and  villages,  which 
would  bring  the  total  up  to  1,949,605  head.  He  estimates 
the  number  of  Angoras  at  700,000,  and  the  remainder,  he 
says,  "  are  all  sorts  of  animals  except  recognized  breeds  of 
milch  goats,  of  which  there  are  so  few  as  not  to  affect  the 
total  materially."  This  is  indeed  a  small  number,  but  it 
indicates  the  need  as  well  as  the  possibilities  of  improve- 
ment. 

European  statistics  give  far  more  satisfactory  results. 
Germany  had  (in  1883),  according  to  Dettweiler,  2,639,904 
milch  goats;  Switzerland  (in  1896)  possessed  416,323 
head  (Stebler).  Pegler,  in  his  work  (The  Book  of  the 
Goat),  gives  the  following  figures:  France,  1,794,837; 
Russia,  1,700,000;  Austria,  979,104;  Spain,  4,531,228; 
Italy,  1,690,478,  and  the  grand  total  for  continental  Europe 
as  17,198,587  head.  The  Yearbook  of  the  United  States 
Department  of  Agriculture  for  1906,  in  its  statistical 
columns,  gives  the  total  number  of  goats  for  South  Ameri- 
can countries  as  5,662,239 ;  North  and  Central  America, 
6,296,192;  Africa,  17,557,590;  Asia,  40,557,402,  while 
Australia  (total  Oceanica)  is  marked  down  to  a  total  of 
only  114,865  head. 

494.  History  in  America.  —  As  has  been  said,  little 
effort  has  been  put  forth  to  improve  the  common  goat  of 
America,  and  no  important  milking  strains  or  families 
have  been  produced.  It  is  only  under  the  stimulus  of 
recent  importations  of  some  of  the  best  European  types 
that  interest  in  goats  for  milk  production  has  sprung  up. 
The  first  importation  on  record  was  that  of  W.  A.  Shafor, 
of  Ohio,  who  brought  over  four  Toggenburg  goats  in  1893. 
The  next  importation  of  note  was  made  by  F.  S.  Peer,  of 


404  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Ithaca,  New  York,  in  the  spring  of  1904,  when  he  brought 
over  a  large  number  of  Toggenburg  and  White  Saanen  goats 
for  individuals  in  Massachusetts,  New  York,  New  Jersey 
and  Maryland.  In  1905,  the  United  States  Department 
of  Agriculture  became  interested,  and  through  G.  F. 
Thompson  imported  sixty-eight  Maltese  goats  for  experi- 
mentation in  America.  The  results  of  this  experiment 
were  not  satisfactory. 

495.  Distribution.  —  At  the  present  time  goats  are  dis- 
tributed over  a  large  part  of  the  globe,  but  it  is  to  be  re- 
gretted that  statistics  furnish  but  very  meager  information 
in  regard  to  their  dissemination.     Such  statistics  as  are 
available  indicate  that  they  are  found  in  larger  or  smaller 
numbers  in  nearly  every  inhabited  land.     In  America 
they  are  widely  scattered.     An  idea  of  their  geographic 
distribution  will  be  gained  by  reference  to  the  statistics 
given  above. 

496.  Breeds  and  types.  —  Following  are  brief  notes  on 
the  most  prominent  breeds  and  types. 

The  Nubian  milch  goat  is  a  long-legged  goat,  with 
generally  a  polled  head,  sunken  nostrils,  projecting  lower 
jaw,  long,  hanging  ears  in  most  specimens,  large,  well- 
shaped  udder  and  teats.  The  color  is  brown  or  black. 
The  hair  varies  in  length.  It  is  native  in  Nubia,  northern 
Egypt  and  Abyssinia.  Huart  du  Plessis  and  Pegler  recom- 
mend this  breed  very  highly  because  of  its  large  size  and 
unsurpassed  milking  qualities,  giving  four  to  twelve  quarts 
per  day.  However,  it  is  very  sensitive  to  cold  and  for 
that  reason  is  not  adapted  for  northern  climates.  Its 
ameliorative  value,  however,  is  not  to  be  lost  sight  of 
in  cross-breeding  experiments,  especially  with  southern 
varieties,  as  the  New  Mexican. 

The  Maltese  goat.  —  According  to  Thompson,  this  type 


GOATS  405 

is  about  two  feet  and  six  inches  in  height  and  will  often 
weigh  100  pounds.  It  is  usually  hornless,  and  the  pre- 
dominating color  is  white,  although  there  are  many  other 
colors,  as  red,  brown  and  black.  The  ears  are  moder- 
ately long  and  horizontal.  The  body  is  low  and  stocky. 
It  is  said  that  the  milking  quality  of  the  breed  has  been 
so  perfectly  developed  that  neatly  every  doe  kid  becomes 
a  good  milker.  The  udder  is  large  and  is  carried  low,  and 
yields  two  to  four  quarts  of  milk  daily.  In  Malta  it  is 
asserted  that  Maltese  goats  never  do  well  when  exported. 

The  New  Mexican  goat.  —  By  this  somewhat  arbitrary 
name  is  distinguished  the  only  native  American  breed  of 
goats  known.  They  are  common  in  New  Mexico,  Texas 
and  the  Southwest,  where  large  numbers  of  them  are  kept 
by  the  Spanish-speaking  populace.  They  are  not  uni- 
form in  color  and  size,  but  have  the  reputation  of  being 
fairly  good  milkers. 

The  Spanish-Maltese  goat.  —  B.  H.  Van  Raub,  of  Van 
Raub,  Texas,  is  the  most  prominent  breeder  of  this  type, 
and  his  efforts  in  improving  and  developing  this  variety 
are  said  to  have  given  to  the  United  States  the  first  pure- 
blooded  breed  of  milch  goats  of  its  own.  Thompson  indi- 
cates that  these  Spanish-Maltese  represent  several  varieties. 

The  Toggenburg  milch  goats  (Fig.  83)  are  one  of  the 
oldest  and  best  known  of  the  numerous  breeds  of  milch 
goats  in  Switzerland.  They  are  hardy  and  hornless,  and 
their  slender  bodies  are  covered  with  silky  hair  of  varied 
length  and  of  a  peculiar  brown  color.  The  males  carry 
a  heavy,  coarse  beard.  The  legs  and  ears  are  white,  the 
latter  of  medium  length  and  well  carried.  The  breed  is 
further  distinguished  by  two  white  stripes  on  their  heads, 
running  parallel  on  each  side  of  the  face  from  the  ears  to 
the  mouth,  and  also  by  two  peculiar  small  cartilaginous 


406 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


FIG.  83.  —  Toggenburg  milch 
goat. 


appendages  or  "  wattles  "  on  the  side  of  the  neck,  called 
"  zoetteli."  (These  "wattles"  are  not,  however,  peculiar 
to  Toggenburgs,  but  are  found  in  nearly  all  breeds  of 

goats.)  The  Toggenburgs 
are  splendid  milkers,  yielding 
four  to  six  quarts  daily,  and 
carry  the  well-developed 
udders  rather  high.  They 
bear  confinement  well,  a  fact 
that  should  not  be  under- 
estimated in  considering  this 
breed. 

The  White  Appenzeller 
goat  may  be  regarded  as  a 
white  variety  of  the  Tog- 
genburg breed,  and  is  native  in  the  Canton  Appenzell 
adjoining  the  Toggenburg  valley  in  Switzerland.  Like 
the  Toggenburg  breed,  it  is  large,  hardy  and  productive. 
The  White  Saanen  goat  (Fig.  84)  is  another  very  popu- 
lar Swiss  breed.  It  is  gener- 
ally hornless  and  of  large 
size.  It  is  a  good  milker, 
and  has  been  exported  ex- 
tensively from  Switzerland 
for  ameliorative  purposes. 

The  Black-necked  Valaisan 
goat  is  a  very  pretty  and 
attractive  variety  covered 
with  long,  silky  hair,  black 
on  the  head,  neck,  breast  and  front  legs,  and  snow-white 
on  the  entire  middle  and  rear  parts  of  the  body.  It  is  a 
fairly  good  milker,  has  a  splendid  constitution,  but  does 
not  thrive  under  continuous  confinement. 


FIG.  84. — White  Saanen  goat. 


GOATS  407 

497.  Management  and  feeding.  —  Milch  goats  are  very 
prolific,  much  more  so  than  Angoras  or  sheep.  They 
usually  drop  twins  and  often  triplets,  and  as  their  period 
of  gestation  is  only  about  five  months,  they  increase  very 
rapidly,  because  they  will  breed  shortly  after  kidding, 
and  yearling  does  are  fit  for  reproduction.  Bucks  should 
be  chosen  carefully;  only  those  descended  from  good 
milking  dams  should  be  used,  and  then  only  when  they 
are  of  good  form  and  constitutional  vigor.  Because  of 
their  repulsive  smell,  bucks  should  be  kept  entirely  sepa- 
rate, and  as  far  away  from  the  does  as  possible. 

Milk  from  rutting  does  should  not  be  used  for  domestic 
purposes.  Observance  of  this  rule  will  effectually  pre- 
vent the  complaints  that  goat's  milk  has  a  bad  taste. 
Breeding  should  be  so  managed  that  does  will  kid  three 
times  within  two  years,  and  if  several  animals  are  kept, 
their  lactation  periods  may  be  easily  arranged  so  as  to 
provide  a  steady  and  even  supply  of  milk  for  their  owners. 
The  lactation  period  is  about  five  or  six  months  in  the 
milking  families. 

Cleanliness  is  absolutely  necessary  when  goats  are 
confined  in  stables.  These  animals  are  sensitive  to  cold 
and  damp  and  therefore  should  be  kept  in  warm  but  light 
stables,  with  always  dry  bedding.  They  like  variety  in 
their  feed,  and  this  peculiarity  should  not  be  overlooked. 
They  should  be  given  clean,  sweet  hay,  and  the  good  vege- 
table trimmings  from  the  kitchen.  A.  handful  of  oats  or  a 
little  bran  is  a  very  good  addition  to  the  ration,  especially 
during  the  period  of  heavy  lactation.  They  must  have 
salt  regularly,  and  as  much  clean  water  as  they  will  drink. 
In  the  winter  they  should  have  provided  for  them  occa- 
sionally, if  possible,  some  hazel-brush,  birch,  maple,  box- 
elder,  or  similar  twigs.  They  like  to  nibble  such  things 


408  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

and  will  pay  for  the  trouble.  Willow,  oak  or  any  other 
bitter  or  acid  barks  should  not  be  used  for  this  purpose, 
because  they  impart  unpleasant  tastes  to  the  milk.  In  the 
summer  a  good  pasture  having  a  variety  of  forage  and 
fresh  water  is  a  splendid  place  for  them.  If  these  direc- 
tions are  observed,  goats  will  give  good  wholesome  milk 
plentifully.  If  the  milk  has  an  uncommon  flavor,  the 
cause  is  usually  in  the  feed,  unless  the  animals  are  sick. 

If  pasturage  is  not  available,  then  they  should  be  let 
out  into  a  clean  yard  daily,  for  they  must  have  exercise, 
as  in  their  natural  environments  they  like  to  romp  and 
play.  Fences  must  be  tight,  otherwise  the  goats  will  get 
out  even  in  places  where  it  would  seem  almost  impossible 
for  them  to  crawl.  All  braces  should  be  on  the  outside, 
and  no  boards  should  be  allowed  to  lean  against  the  fence, 
otherwise  the  goats  will  climb  over.  Breechy  goats  should 
be  provided  with  so-called  "  puzzles  "  or  frames. 

Kids  should  be  separated  from  their  mothers  and  fed 
from  a  nursing-bottle,  because  their  mother's  teats  are 
usually  too  large  for  them.  They  should  be  weaned 
gradually,  and,  when  they  are  accustomed  to  eat  well, 
they  will  readily  take  care  of  themselves,  as  long  as  they 
have  plenty  before  them  to  eat.  Young  bucks  that  are 
not  needed  as  reproducers  should  be  castrated  early  and 
butchered  when  a  few  months  old.  Their  meat  is  then 
even  more  of  a  delicacy  than  lamb. 

498.  Use  for  milk.  —  Contrary  to  common  opinion, 
goats  have  decided  virtues  and  capabilities  that  will 
eventually  gain  for  them  a  prominent  place  in  the  estima- 
tion of  the  people,  especially  among  the  working  classes  in 
the  suburbs  of  large  cities,  and  it  is  not  at  all  improbable 
they  they  may  win  favor  even  with  the  rich. 

The  principal  value  of  the  milch  goat  is  its  eminent 


GOATS  409 

milk-producing  quality.  While  it  has  thus  far  been  of 
relative  unimportance  in  this  country  for  its  milk,  this  is 
not  true  in  many  other  lands.  In  Switzerland,  milch 
goats  are  commonly  called  the  "  poor  man's  cows,"  and 
well  they  may,  as  they  take  the  place  of  cows  not  only 
because  of  their  cheapness  and  the  comparatively  low  cost 
of  their  keep,  but  also  because  they  enable  poor  persons 
to  enjoy  the  advantages  usually  derived  by  the  better 
situated  classes  from  their  cattle,  under  conditions  abso- 
lutely prohibitive  to  the  successful  maintenance  of  milch 
cows.  In  that  mountainous  land,  three  or  four  well-kept 
milch  goats  of  good  breeding  are  commonly  rated  equal  in 
milk-producing  qualities  to  an  average  cow,  and  six  to 
eight  goats  maybe  kept  on  the  quantity  of  feed  required  for 
one  cow.  It  should  also  be  borne  in  mind  that  two  or  three 
goats  properly  managed  will  provide  a  steady  supply  of  milk 
the  year  round,  while  the  single  cow  does  not.  Goats  also 
are  not  nearly  so  susceptible  to  the  diseases  that  have 
proved  to  be  such  dangerous  enemies  to  mankind,  from 
the  fact  that  they  can  be  transmitted  by  cow's  milk.  It  is 
generally  held  that  goat's  milk  is  much  more  wholesome 
than  cow's  milk.  Goat's  milk  may  be  used  fresh  or  cooked, 
just  as  cow's  milk,  and  is  recommended  as  preferable  for 
infants  and  invalids  by  the  best  medical  authorities. 
Milch  goats  are  most  productive  at  four  to  eight  years  of 
age,  and  may  live  to  be  twelve  or  more  years  old. 

Dr.  Kohlschmidt's  experiments  on  the  milk-yield  of 
goats,  conducted  with  twenty-four  animals  in  Saxony, 
demonstrated  an  average  yearly  quantity  of  725.7  litres  a 
head.  The  highest  yield  ascertained  by  him  was  1077.5 
litres;  the  lowest,  612.37  litres;  the  average  per  cent  of 
butter-fat  obtained  was  3.43  per  cent  (maximum  4.41  per 
cent).  Huart  du  Plessis  cites  the  example  of  a  pure-bred 


410  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Nubian  goat  giving  an  average  of  4.5  litres  a  day,  with 
8.5  per  cent  butter-fat.  This  author  estimates  the  capacity 
of  a  good  milch  goat  at  two  litres  a  day  for  270  days  each 
year.  Professor  Anderegg  says  that  there  are  four  breeds 
of  Swiss  goats  capable  of  a  daily  yield  of  four  litres  per 
head.  Stebler  states,  on  the  authority  of  a  Swiss  farmer, 
that  the  total  yearly  expense  for  keeping  a  common 
goat,  exclusive  of  summer  pasturage,  is  a  trifle  over  $2  in 
American  money,  against  a  yearly  income  of  above  $5,  or 
a  profit  of  over  S3  a  year  on  an  investment  of  about  $7. 

499.  Other  uses  of  milch  goats. — Butter  may  be  made 
from  goat's  milk,  but,  owing  to  the  irregular  size  of  the  fat 
globules,  the  cream  is  very  slow  to  rise.  The  milk  should 
be  carefully  and  very  slowly  heated  on  the  back  of  a  stove 
until  a  wrinkled  scum  forms,  and  then  be  removed  to  the 
pantry  for  further  rising.  The  longer  time  it  takes  to  heat, 
the  more  cream  is  secured.  In  churning,  coloring  must  be 
added,  or  else  the  product  will  be  as  white  as  lard,  owing  to 
the  whiteness  of  the  milk.  Perfect  cleanliness  and  special 
care  are  necessary  or  the  butter  will  develop  a  bitter  taste. 

Goat's  milk  makes  most  excellent  cheese,  as  all  who  have 
ever  been  treated  to  "  tome  de  chevre  "  or  "  Geisskaes  " 
in  Europe  will  admit.  The  milk  of  goats  is  an  ingredient 
that  enters  largely  into  the  manufacture  of  very  expensive 
kinds  of  cheese,  as  the  famous  Roquefort,  Mont  d'Or,  Lev- 
roux,  Sassenage  and  others.  Goat  cheese  has  the  disadvant- 
age that  it  usually  will  not  keep  well  unless  extra  care  and 
pains  are  taken  in  its  manufacture  and  cure.  For  ordinary 
use,  however,  the  process  is  as  simple  as  that  employed  in 
the  making  of  any  common  home-made  curd  cheese. 

As  their  name  indicates,  milch  goats  are  not  intended 
as  meat-producers.  The  flesh  of  older  animals,  therefore, 
is  of  minor  quality,  although  capable  of  great  improvement 


GOATS  411 

by  proper  fattening.  The  flesh  of  well-fattened  older  goats 
may  be  rendered  very  toothsome  by  smoking  and  drying. 
Kid  meat  is  esteemed  as  a  popular  delicacy  in  Europe  and 
elsewhere. 

The  skins  of  milch  goats  are  important  articles  of  com- 
merce, furnishing,  as  they  do,  the  raw  material  for  the 
finest  leather  (kid,  morocco,  saffian  and  the  like).  At 
present,  most  of  the  hides  used  for  this  purpose  are  im- 
ported. This  may  very  readily  be  made  an  important 
source  of  income  wherever  goats  are  kept  in  numbers.  It 
is  a  means  of  profit  that  has  been  underestimated  in  this 
country. 

500.  Organizations  and  records.  —  In  November,  1903, 
The  American  Milk  Goat  Record  Association  was  organ- 
ized to  care  for  the  interests  of  milch  goats  in  America, 
and  to  promote  the  importation  of  good  types.  A  regis- 
try is  maintained,  entrance  being  based  on  milk-produc- 
tion and  satisfactory  ancestry  and  individual  qualities. 

Literature.  —  Prof.  Anderegg,  Die  Schweizer  Ziegen,  Bern  (1887) ; 
Fr.  Dettweiler,  Die  Bedeutung  der  Ziegenzucht,  etc.,  Bremen 
(1892) ;  Huart  du  Plessis,  La  Chevre,  Paris,  4me  edition ;  Felix 
Hilpert,  Anleitung  zur  Ziegenzucht  und  Ziegenhaltung,  Berlin 
(1901) ;  Bryan  Hook,  Milch  Goats  and  their  Management,  London 
(1896) ;  N.  Julmy,  Les  Races  de  Chevres  de  la  Suisse,  Bern  (1900) ; 
Dr.  Kohlschmidt,  Untersuchungen  ueber  die  Milchergiebigkeit  des 
im  oestl.  Erzgebirge  verbreiteten  Ziegenschlages  in  Landw.  Jahr- 
buecher,  Bd.  XXVI;  S.  Holmes  Pegler,  The  Book  of  the  Goat, 
London  (1886) ;  Dr.  F.  G.  Stebler,  Ziegenweiden  und  Ziegenhaltung 
in  Alp  und  Weidewirtschaft,  Berlin  (1903) ;  G.  F.  Thompson,  Angora 
Goat  Raising  and  Milch  Goats,  Chicago  (1903) ;  G.  F.  Thompson, 
Information  concerning  Common  Goats,  Circular  No.  42,  Bureau 
of  Animal  Industry,  United  States  Department  of  Agriculture 
(1903) ;  G.  F.  Thompson,  Information  concerning  the  Milch  Goats, 
Bulletin  No.  68,  Bureau  of  Animal  Industry,  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Agriculture  (1905). 


Fat  or  Lard 
Page  415 


Lesser 
Known 
Swine 
Page 
460 


PART   IV 
BREEDS   OF   SWINE 


Bacon      f  Large  Yorkshire 
Page  450  I  Tamworth 


Berkshire 

Poland-China 

Duroc-Jersey 

Chester-White 

Hampshire 

Cheshire 

Victoria 

Essex 

Suffolk 

Small  Yorkshire 


Chinese 

Neapolitan 

Siamese 

Large  Black 

Middle  White  or  Middle  Yorkshire 

Lincolnshire  Curly-Coated 

Razorback 


413 


CHAPTER  XVI 
THE  FAT  OR  LARD  BREEDS  OF  SWINE 

THE  differences  between  typical  representatives  of  the 
lard  breeds  of  hogs  are  marked,  yet  they  are  all  primarily 
short  legged,  broad,  deep  and  smooth,  conforming  to  the 
block  or  meat  type  common  to  the  beef  steer  and  mutton 
wether.  Smooth  shoulders  and  trim  sides,  broad,  thick 
backs  and  loins  and  full,  deep  hams  in  hogs  from  250  to 
300  pounds  weight  attained  in  the  shortest  feeding  period 
constitute  the  standard  applied  to  all  market  fat  hogs, 
irrespective  of  breed. 

BERKSHIRE  SWINE.    Plate  XV.     Fig.  85. 
By  G.  E.  Day   ' 

501.  Berkshire  swine  are  of  the  "  fat-hog  "  type,  and 
are  greatly  valued  in  America,  ranking  among  the  first  in 
popularity. 

502.  History  in  England.  —  The  name  Berkshire  comes 
from  Berkshire  in  England.     The  breed  is  not  by  any 
means  confined  to  this  county,  but  is  now  spread  all 
over  the  British  Isles.    The  original  Berkshire  was  of 
ancient  origin,  and  very  little  is  known  regarding  its  origin. 
The  color  of  the  old  Berkshire  was  commonly  a  sandy,  or 
reddish  brown,  spotted  with  black,  or  white  with  black 
spots.    It  was  very  much  coarser  than  the  present  type 

415 


416  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

and  possessed  lopped  ears;  but  even  in  its  unimproved 
state,  it  had  a  reputation  for  producing  a  good  quality  of 
meat. 

As  to  the  method  of  improvement,  it  is  said  by  some 
that  black  Siamese  boars  were  used  on  the  old  Berkshire 
sows,  and  some  persons  state  that  white,  and  black  and 
white  Chinese  boars,  were  also  used.  It  is  easy  to  under- 
stand how  breeds  of  the  type  of  Siamese  and  Chinese 
swine  should  be  eminently  well  adapted  to  modifying  the 
original  coarse  type  of  Berkshire.  A.  B.  Allen  favors  the 
theory  that  Chinese  blood  was  used  to  some  extent,  and 
from  his  investigations  in  England,  fixes  the  beginning  of 
improvement  in  the  Berkshire  by  crossing  at  some  time 
previous  to  1780. 

503.  History  in  America.  —  According  to  Allen,  the 
first  importation  of  Berkshires  to  America  was  made  in 
1823,  by  John  Brentnall  of  New  Jersey.     The  next  im- 
portation was  in   1832,   and  great  numbers  have  been 
brought  into  the  United  States  since  that  time.     It  is 
stated  that  the  first  importation  to  Canada  was  made 
about  1838.     Coburn  states  that  for  ten  years  subsequent 
to  1831,  speculation  in  importing  and  selling  Berkshires  at 
inflated  prices  was  rife  in  the  United  States,  and  that  the 
methods  employed  by  speculators  did  much  to  prejudice 
persons   against   the   breed,   and   seriously   retarded   its 
progress.     The  breed  has  outlived  this  prejudice,  how- 
ever, and  has  firmly  established  itself  in  the  confidence 
of  both  American  and  Canadian  farmers. 

504.  Description.  —  The  Berkshire  is  a  stylish,  hand- 
some hog,  the  best  type  being  of  rather  more  than  medium 
size,  although  not  so  large  as  the  Large  Yorkshire  or  the 
Tamworth  (Fig.  85  and  Plate  XV).     The  snout  is  of  me- 
dium length,  and  the  face  dished.     The  ears  are  generally 


THE  FAT  OR  LARD  BREEDS   OF  SWINE  417 

nearly  erect,  although  in  the  larger  strains  and  in  aged 
animals  they  frequently  incline  forward.  They  should 
be  well  carried.  The  jowl  is  rather  heavy,  and  the 
neck  short,  usually  carrying  considerable  crest.  The 
shoulder,  back  and  rump  are  of  good  width,  although 
the  back  is  probably  not  quite  so  broad  as  that  of  the 
Poland-China.  The  ham  is  thickly  meated,  and  is  gener- 
ally somewhat  trimmer  in  appearance  than  that  of  the 
Poland-China.  The  Berkshire  generally  has  good  depth 
of  body,  and  indications  of  a  strong  constitution.  The 
bone  is  of  excellent  quality 
in  the  best  specimens,  and 
the  animal  usually  stands 
well  on  its  feet.  The  stand- 
ard color  is  black,  with  a 
white  mark  on  the  face, 
white  on  each  foot,  and 

.         .         „  FIG.  85.  —  Berkshire  sow. 

white  on  the  tip  or  the  tail. 

Sometimes,  some  of  these  white  markings  are  absent,  and 
sometimes  white  occurs  on  other  parts  of  the  body,  such 
as  a  white  blotch  on  the  jowl,  on  the  shoulder  or  else- 
where. The  standard  of  excellence  prepared  by  the 
American  Berkshire  Association  does  not  disqualify  an 
animal  for  defective  markings,  but  in  selecting  breeding- 
stock,  some  breeders  shun  animals  too  freely  marked 
with  white. 

505.  Types.  —  The  type  of  the  Berkshires  is  affected  by 
the  methods  of  individual  breeders,  and,  to  some  extent, 
by  the  market  demands  of  the  countries  in  which  they  are 
bred.  In  the  United  States  there  was  a  tendency  for 
some  time  to  breed  a  fine-boned,  somewhat  undersized 
type,  emphasizing  smoothness  and  quality  rather  than 
size.  Fortunately,  however,  some  of  the  leading  American 

2E 


418  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

breeders  are  maintaining  both  size  and  quality,  and  the 
future  of  the  breed  is  no  doubt  safe  in  their  hands.  In 
Canada,  owing  to  the  demands  of  the  market  for  bacon 
hogs,  and  owing  to  the  competition  of  strictly  bacon  breeds, 
the  tendency  on  the  part  of  the  best  Berkshire  breeders 
has  been  to  select  for  a  lengthy,  strong-boned  type,  which, 
compared  with  the  American  type,  looks  somewhat  leggy 
and  coarse,  but  which,  in  reality,  is  a  first-class  farmer's 
hog.  A  good  deal  is  heard  at  present  about  the  so-called 
Large  English  Berkshire.  The  Large  English  Berkshire 
is  no  different  in  breeding  from  the  ordinary  Berkshire, 
but  in  England,  as  in  any  other  country,  the  Berkshire 
will  be  found  to  vary  more  or  less  in  type,  and  some  im- 
porters select  the  larger,  stronger-boned  animals  for  im- 
portation to  America,  and  call  them  Large  English  Berk- 
shires.  As  a  matter  of  fact,  they  may  be  litter  mates  of 
animals  of  the  very  finest-boned  type. 

506.  Uses  of  Berkshire  hogs.  —  The  Berkshire  is  better 
suited  for  supplying  the  market  demand  for  fat  hogs  than 
it  is  for  producing  bacon  hogs.  When  backs,  shoulders 
and  hams  are  the  main  requirements,  the  Berkshire  fits  in 
exceptionally  well;  but  for  the  export  bacon  trade  in 
what  are  known  as  "  Wiltshire  sides,"  the  Berkshire  has 
scarcely  enough  length  of  side,  and  has  too  heavy  a  neck 
and  shoulder,  because  the  neck  and  shoulder  furnish  cuts 
which  are  low  in  price  and  difficult  to  sell  in  connection 
with  a  "  Wiltshire  side."  When  crossed  with  the  Large 
Yorkshire  or  Tarn  worth,  an  excellent  farmer's  hog  is  the 
result,  although  it  is  perhaps  a  little  nearer  to  the  bacon 
type  than  to  the  fat  type.  Berkshires  have  made  an 
exceptionally  good  showing  in  the  market  classes  at  lead- 
ing American  shows,  where  they  come  into  competition 
with  other  breeds. 


THE  FAT  OR  LARD  BREEDS   OF  SWINE  419 

It  is  difficult  to  secure  data  regarding  the  relative  early 
maturity  of  different  breeds,  but  the  Berkshires  certainly 
stand  well  in  this  respect.  They  attain  reasonably  good 
weights  at  an  early  age  and  fatten  readily.  It  is  a  matter 
of  dispute  whether  they  are  equal  to  the  Poland-China  in 
point  of  early  maturity,  some  good  authorities  placing  the 
Poland-China  first,  while  others  would  place  the  Chester- 
White  or  Duroc-Jersey  at  the  head  of  the  list.  As  a 
matter  of  fact,  it  is  quite  probable  that  among  the  best 
representatives  of  the  breeds  mentioned,  there  is  not  any 
very  marked  difference  in  point  of  early  maturity. 

As  an  economical  converter  of  feed  into  pork,  the  Berk- 
shire is  probably  not  excelled,  although  it  would  be  too 
much  to  say  that  it  leads  other  breeds  in  this  respect. 
Breed  experiments  have  been  conducted  at  several  agri- 
cultural experiment  stations,  but  if  we  study  each  individual 
experiment  carefully,  we  will  be  forced  to  the  conclusion 
that  the  ability  to  make  economical  use  of  food  is  appar- 
ently a  question  of  individuality  rather  than  one  of  breed. 
With  our  present  knowledge  of  the  problem,  we  feel  safe 
in  stating  that  the  Berkshire  will  produce  pork  as  cheaply 
as  any  other  breed. 

The  flesh  of  the  Berkshire  is  of  excellent  quality,  and 
carries  a  large  proportion  of  lean  to  fat.  Investigations 
regarding  the  quality  of  meat  from  different  breeds  gener- 
ally agree  in  giving  the  Berkshire  a  high  place  both  in 
quantity  of  lean  and  fineness  of  quality.  With  more 
length  of  side,  and  less  tendency  for  the  fat  to  run  unduly 
thick  over  the  top  of  the  shoulder  and  neck,  the  Berkshire 
would  make  a  capital  "  Wiltshire  side  "  of  bacon. 

Berkshire  sows  of  the  more  lengthy  type  are  prolific,  and 
generally  make  good  mothers.  The  extremely  fine,  short 
type  of  sow  does  not,  as  a  rule,  produce  such  large  litters. 


420  THE  SPEEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

The  boars  are  prepotent,  and  cross  well  with  almost  any  other 
breed,  as  well  as  being  useful  for  improving  common  stock. 

507.  Distribution.  —  Berkshires   are    found    in    every 
state  and  territory  of  the  United  States,  the  most  im- 
portant centers  being  Pennsylvania,   Illinois,   Missouri, 
Indiana,  Texas,  Ohio,  Kansas,  Iowa,  New  York,  Michigan 
and  Tennessee.     During  the  last  two  years  more  Berk- 
shires  were  sold  into  Pennsylvania  than  into  any  other 
state.     They  also  are  found  in  every  Canadian  province, 
the  province  of  Ontario  taking  the  lead.     They  are  found 
in  practically  all   parts   of  the  British  Isles,   in   South 
America,  in  Hawaii  and  in  some  European  countries. 

508.  Organizations  and  records.  — The  American  Berk- 
shire Association  was  organized  in  1875,  and  has  the  dis- 
tinction of  having  started  the  first  record  of  swine  in 
America.    The  first  herd-book  was  published  in  1877,  and 
up  to  the  present  forty-seven  volumes  have  been  issued, 
containing  the  names  of  nearly  208,000  animals. 

Registration  of  Berkshires  in  Canada  was  begun  in 
1876,  and  was  conducted  by  the  Agriculture  and  Arts 
Association  until  1891,  when  the  records  were  taken  over 
by  the  newly  organized  Dominion  Swine  Breeders'  Asso- 
ciation. The  first  volume  of  the  Dominion  Swine  Breeders' 
Record  was  published  in  1892.  This  record  recorded  all 
breeds  of  swine  represented  in  Canada.  In  1905,  the 
Dominion  Swine  Records,  together  with  nearly  all  the 
live-stock  records  in  Canada,  were  placed  under  the  direct 
supervision  of  the  Canadian  Department  of  Agriculture 
at  Ottawa,  but  are  under  the  control  of  a  "  Record  Board," 
comprised  of  representatives  elected  by  the  various  breed 
organizations.  This  National  Live-Stock  Record  records 
all  breeds  of  swine  in  Canada,  .but  the  herd-book  still  keeps 
the  name  of  Dominion  Swine  Breeders'  Record. 


THE  FAT  OR  LARD  BREEDS  OF  SWINE          421 

In  England,  Berkshires  are  recorded  in  the  British 
Berkshire  Herd-book,  controlled  by  the  British  Berkshire 
Society. 

Literature.  —  The  Berkshire  World  is  published  in  the  interests 
of  this  breed  at  Springfield,  Illinois. 

POLAND-CHINA  SWINE.    Plate  XV.    Fig.  86. 
By  G.  E.  Day 

509.  Poland-China  swine  are  entirely  the  product  and 
development  of  American  swine-breeders.     They  are  of 
the  lard-hog  type. 

510.  History.  —  The  Poland-China  originated  in  Butler 
and  Warren   counties,  Ohio.     These  two    counties   are 
drained  by  the  Great  Miami  and  the  Little  Miami  rivers. 
The  valley  of  the  Miami  is  a  very  fertile  district,  and  its 
name  is  closely  associated  with  the  early  history  of  this 
breed.    The  history  of  the  origin  of  Poland-China  swine 
is  not  altogether  clear,  and  some  points  have  been  the 
subject    of    lengthy    controversies.     From    the    varying 
theories  and  claims  put  forward,  we  may  accept  the  fol- 
lowing statements  as  being  reasonably  accurate.     Previous 
to  1816,  the  Russia  and  Byfield  breeds  were  largely  used 
for  crossing  on  the  common  hogs  of  the  Miami  valley. 
These  were  both  white  breeds,  possessing  more  or  less 
merit  as  feeders.     In  1816,  the  Society  of  Shakers,  of 
Union  Village,  Warren  county,  brought  a  boar  and  three 
sows  from  Philadelphia.     The  pigs  were  represented  to  the 
Shakers  as  being  of  pure  Chinese  blood,  and  they  were 
called  Big  Chinas.     The  boar  and  two  of  the  sows  are  said 
to  have  been  pure  white,  and  the  other  sow  was  white, 
with  some  sandy  and  black  spots.    These  Big  Chinas  and 


422  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

their  descendants  were  extensively  crossed  on  the  hogs 
then  in  the  county,  and  the  resulting  type  came  to  be 
known  as  the  Warren  county  hog.  The  Big  China  was  a 
medium-sized  breed,  of  fine  bone  and  good  feeding  quali- 
ties, arid  its  use  on  the  hogs  of  Warren  county  effected  a 
marked  improvement.  It  is  also  stated  that  subsequent 
to  the  introduction  of  the  Big  China,  other  China  hogs  of 
finer  and  smaller  type  were  brought  into  the  county.  In 
1835  or  1836,  Berkshires  were  introduced  and  extensively 
used,  and  about  1839  or  1840,  the  Irish  Grazier  was  im- 
ported and  used  on  these  pigs  of  complicated  breeding  in 
Warren  county.  The  Irish  Grazier  was  a  white  breed  of 
considerable  merit  and  did  its  share  toward  modifying  the 
Miami  valley  hogs.  It  was  also  said  by  some  persons  that  a 
Poland  breed  was  used  for  crossing  on  Warren  county 
hogs,  while  others  maintained  that  no  such  breed  was  ever 
introduced.  An  extended  controversy  ensued,  which  was 
finally  ended  by  the  findings  of  a  committee  that  was 
appointed  to  investigate  the  origin  of  the  breed,  and  which 
reported  its  findings  to  the  National  Swine  Breeders'  Con- 
vention held  in  Indianapolis  in  1872.  This  committee 
reported  against  the  theory  that  a  Poland  breed  had  been 
used,  but  recommended  that  the  name  Poland-China  be 
recognized  as  the  accepted  name  of  the  breed.  The 
recommendation  was  adopted,  and  since  that  time  the 
breed,  which  previously  had  been  known  by  a  great 
variety  of  names,  has  been  known  as  the  Poland-China. 
It  is  said  that  since  1845  no  outside  blood  has  been  infused 
into  this  breed. 

511.  Description.  —  The  Poland-China  is  a  medium- 
sized  hog,  and,  as  commonly  bred,  is  not  so  large  as  the 
large  type  of  Berkshire ;  but  the  average  Poland-China  is 
well  up  to  the  average  Berkshire  in  weight.  The  face  is 


THE  FAT  OR  LARD  ti REEDS   OF  SWINE  423 

slightly  dished ;  the  jowl  full  and  heavy ;  the  ears  should 
be  fine,  firmly  attached  to  the  head,  and  about  one-third 
of  the  ear  ghould  droop.  The  neck  is  short,  thick  and 
heavily  arched  on  top.  The  shoulder  is  heavy,  the  side 
rather  short,  but  deep,  and  the  back  wide,  with  a  slightly 
arched  top-line.  The  whole 
hind-quarter  is  heavily 
fleshed,  the  ham  being  ex- 
ceptionally wide  and  deep. 
The  legs  are  short,  and  the 
bone  fine.  Some  years  ago, 
Poland-Chinas  were  freely  FIG.  86.  -  Poland-China  boar, 
marked  with  white,  but  the 

fashionable  color  to-day  is  black,  with  six  white  points, 
namely,  white  in  face,  on  the  feet,  and  tip  of  the  tail. 
A  limited  number  of  white  markings  on  other  parts  of 
the  body  is  not  seriously  objected  to  (Plate  XV  and 
Fig.  86). 

512.  Types.  —  As  is  the  case  with  other  breeds,  the 
Poland-China  differs  more  or  less  in  the  hands  of  different 
breeders.  The  older  type  of  Poland-China  was  a  larger, 
more  rangy  and  heavier-boned  hog  than  the  Poland- 
Chinas  seen  in  the  show-rings  of  to-day.  Breeders  of 
Poland-Chinas  have  gone  rather  to  an  extreme,  on  the 
whole,  in  the  matter  of  selecting  for  fineness  of  bone,  and 
the  result,  in  many  cases,  is  a  hog  that  lacks  somewhat  in 
size  and  in  fecundity.  These  facts  have  been  brought 
forcibly  before  breeders  during  recent  years,  and  any 
defects  of  the  nature  stated  will  be  remedied,  no  doubt,  by 
thoughtful  breeders.  Even  now,  we  can  see  evidences  of 
a  change  in  methods,  and  there  is  little  doubt  that  the 
Poland-China  will  be  bred  to  retain  its  high  quality  with- 
out sacrificing  its  utility. 


424  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

513.  Uses  of  Poland-China  hogs.  —  The  Poland-China 
has  been  developed  especially  to  meet  the  market  demand 
for  a  fat  or  lard  hog.  Its  heavy  shoulder,  wide  back  and 
heavily  developed  hams  render  it  an  exceptionally  good 
yielder  from  the  packer's  standpoint. 

The  quality  of  the  meat  produced  by  the  Poland-China 
has  frequently  been  criticised  because  of  its  large  propor- 
tion of  fat  to  lean.  The  development  of  a  tendency  to 
produce  lean  along  with  fat  has  been  largely  overlooked 
in  bringing  this  breed  to  its  present  stage  of  perfection 
from  a  feeder's  standpoint,  but  it  appears  to  meet  the 
demands  of  the  American  packer,  and  he  is  willing  to  pay 
top  market  .price  for  it. 

In  early  maturity,  that  is,  in  ability  to  produce  a  finished 
fat  carcass  for  the  packer  at  an  early  age,  the  Poland- 
China  is  unexcelled.  It  has  been  bred  for  early  maturity 
for  generations,  and  has  attained  an  enviable  reputation 
in  this  connection. 

As  a  feeder,  the  Poland-China  is  a  favorite  with  corn- 
belt  farmers.  The  breed  has  been  developed  on  corn- 
feeding,  and  seems  to  thrive  on  an  exclusive  corn  ration 
better  than  many  other  breeds.  In  a  colder  climate,  and 
on  a  mixed  ration,  the  Poland-China  might  not  show  to  so 
good  advantage  as  some  other  breeds,  but  for  the  purpose 
of  turning  corn  into  pork,  it  is  difficult  to  beat.  The 
Poland-China  has  also  demonstrated  its  usefulness  as  a 
grass  hog,  making  good  gains  on  pasture  with  a  light  grain 
ration.  Experiments  with  breeds  of  swine  have  resulted 
differently  at  different  stations,  and  it  would  seem  that 
economy  of  production  is  more  a  question  of  individuality 
than  of  breed.  Their  exceptional  tendency  to  fatten  ren- 
ders animals  of  this  breed  especially  valuable  for  crossing 
purposes,  and  the  Poland-China  is  highly  esteemed  for 


THE  FAT  OR  LARD  BREEDS   OF  SWINE  425 

crossing  on  other  breeds,  as  well  as  on  common,  or  grade 
stock.  A  cross  between  the  Large  Yorkshire  and  the 
Poland-China  has  been  found  to  give  an  excellent  hog, 
both  from  a  farmer's  and  a  packer's  standpoint.  For 
crossing  with  the  Berkshire,  Duroc-Jersey  and  Chester- 
White,  the  breed  is  very  highly  esteemed,  and  the  cross- 
breds  are  generally  regarded  as  superior  to  the  pure- 
breds  for  feeding  purposes. 

The  most  serious  criticism  directed  against  the  Poland- 
China  is  on  the  score  of  fecundity.  In  any  breed  in  which 
so  much  attention  has  been  paid  to  the  development  of 
fine  bone  and  a  very  marked  tendency  to  fatten,  it  is  only 
natural  to  expect  that  there  would  be  some  loss  of  fecun- 
dity, and  statistics  appear  to  indicate  that  the  Poland- 
China  is  no  exception  to  the  rule.  This  criticism  applies 
especially  to  the  very  fine-boned  types. 

514.  Distribution.  —  The  Poland-China  is  widely  dis- 
tributed over  the  United  States.     The  principal  states  in 
which  the  breed  is  found,  according  to  the  Secretary  of 
the  American  Poland-China  Record  Association,  are  Iowa, 
Illinois,    Texas,    Missouri,    Kansas,    Nebraska,    Indiana, 
Ohio,  Minnesota,  South  Dakota,  Wisconsin,  Oklahoma 
and  Michigan,  but  there  are  few  states  where  Poland- 
Chinas  are  not  to  be  found. 

In  Canada,  the  breed  has  not  obtained  a  very  strong 
foothold.  Outside  of  the  United  States  and  Canada  the 
breed  is  but  little  known. 

515.  Organizations    and    records.  —  Organizations    in 
the  interests  of  Poland-Chinas  are  numerous.     The  largest 
organization  is  the  American  Poland-China  Record  Asso- 
ciation, which  was  organized  in  1878  and  published  its 
first  herd-book   in    1879,  and   has   published  sixty-four 
volumes  to  date,  containing  the  names  of  390,000  animals. 


426  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

The  Ohio  Poland-China  Record  was  organized  in  1877, 
and  up  to  1906  had  published  twenty-seven  volumes. 
The  Central  Poland-China  Association  was  organized  in 
1880,  and  published  twenty-six  volumes  of  its  Record  up 
to  1906.  In  1906,  the  Ohio  and  Central  Associations 
amalgamated  under  the  name  of  the  National  Poland- 
China  Record  Company,  and  since  amalgamation  thirty- 
six  volumes  have  been  published,  which  begin  where  the 
Ohio  herd-books  left  off.  The  Ohio  Association  recorded 
103,000  head,  the  Central  Association  48,000  head,  and 
since  amalgamation,  150,000  head  have  been  recorded  in 
the  National.  The  Standard  Poland-China  Record  Asso- 
ciation was  organized  in  1887,  and  has  published  thirty- 
five  volumes  since  that  time  with  over  256,000  registrations. 
The  Northwestern  Poland-China  Swine  Association  was  or- 
ganized in  1881.  The  Southwestern  Poland-China  Record 
Association  was  organized  in  1896.  These  associations 
in  the  main  are  thrifty  and  influential,  as  indicated  by  the 
large  number  of  registrations;  but  the  best  interests  of 
the  breed  demand  greater  unity  of  effort  and  of  ideals. 

In  Canada,  Poland-Chinas  are  recorded  in  the  Dominion 
Swine  Breeders'  Record. 

DUROC-JERSEY  SWINE.    Figs.  87,  88. 
By  G.  E.  Day 

516.  The  Duroc-Jersey  is  an  American  breed  of  swine, 
and  is  of  the  fat-  or  lard-hog  type.     It  has  earned  an 
enviable  reputation  with  corn-belt  farmers  for  early  matu- 
rity, rapid  fattening  and  prolificacy. 

517.  History.  —  Red  pigs  have  existed  in  the  United 
States  for  a  great  many  years,  and  there  seems  to  be  no 


THE  FAT  OR  LARD  BREEDS  OF  SWINE  427 

satisfactory  account  of  their  origin.  It  is  said  that  slave 
traders  brought  in  a  red  breed  of  hogs  from  western  Africa, 
known  as  the  Guinea  breed.  It  is  also  stated  that  Henry 
Clay  imported  Spanish  red  pigs  in  1837,  and  that  Daniel 
Webster  brought  red  pigs  from  Portugal  in  1852.  It  is 
further  stated  that  the  Berkshire,  which,  in  its  early  days 
was  freely  marked  with  red  or  sandy  hair,  is  responsible 
for  some  of  the  red  pigs.  Whatever  breeds,  or  mixture  of 
breeds,  were  responsible,  it  is  certain  that  a  large  breed  of 
red  hogs  attained  to  considerable  prominence  in  New 
Jersey,  and  was  eventually  given  the  name  of  Jersey-Red. 
The  Jersey-Red  had  large  lop  ears,  and  good  length  of 
body.  It  was  rather  long  in  the  leg,  and  coarse  in  bone 
and  hair.  It  was  valued  because  of  its  size,  strong  con- 
stitution and  rapid  growth. 

The  Duroc  originated  in  Saratoga  county,  New  York, 
and,  to  put  it  briefly,  resulted  from  crossing  a  red  boar  on 
the  common  sows  of  the  district.  It  is  uncertain  whether 
the  boar  came  merely  from  another  part  of  New  York 
state,  or  from  England.  It  is  said  that  the  boar  was 
named  "  Duroc "  after  the  famous  stallion,  and  hence 
the  name  of  the  breed.  The  Duroc  also  had  lopped 
ears,  but  it  was  a  much  finer  type  of  pig  than  the 
Jersey-Red. 

In  the  course  of  time,  the  breeders  of  Jersey-Reds  and 
Durocs  came  together,  and  the  two  breeds  were  blended 
into  one,  under  the  name  of  Duroc-Jersey.  The  amalga- 
mation took  place  in  1883. 

518.  Description.  —  The  Duroc-Jersey  is  similar  in  size 
to  the  Chester-White  and  the  Poland-China.  Some  speci- 
mens are  of  very  large  size,  but  the  tendency  of  modern 
breeding  is  toward  a  medium  size,  with  rather  fine  bone. 
It  is  possible  that  breeders  are  going  too  far  in  reducing 


428  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

the  size  of  the  animal  and  the  weight  of  its  bone,  and  the 
larger,  heavier-boned  hog  will  always  find  an  important 
place  in  this  breed,  as,  indeed,  in  all  others.  The  snout  is 
of  medium  length;  the  face  slightly  dished;  the  ear 
drooped,  much  the  same  as  that  of  the  Poland-China; 
the  jowl  heavy;  the  body  wide  and  deep,  set  on  short 

legs  of  medium  to  fine  bone; 
the  ham  heavily  fleshed,  and 
the  body  generally  noted  for 
thickness  rather  than  for 
length.  Cherry-red  is  the 
popular  color,  but  yellowish 
red  and  chestnut  are  fre- 

FIG.  87.  —  Duroc-Jersey  boar.  A      „          ,  ,      , 

quently  seen.     A  few   black 

spots  on  belly  and  legs  do  not  disqualify,  but  are  objec- 
tionable. Black  markings  on  any  other  parts  of  the  body 
are  very  serious  objections  (Figs.  87,  88). 

519.  Types.  —  Like  other  breeds,  Duroc-Jerseys  present 
variations  in  type.     On  the  whole,  breeders  have  been 
striving    for     a     fine-boned, 

smooth  type  of  hog  of  medium 
size.  It  is  asserted  by  some 
persons  that  this  refining 
process  has  been  carried  too 
far,  and  breeders  are  to  be 
found  who  are  producing  „ 

FIG.  88.  —  Duroc-Jersey  sow. 

hogs  of  more  bone  and  more 
size.  These  larger,  heavier-boned  hogs  are  attracting  con- 
siderable attention  among  Duroc-Jersey  breeders,  and  it 
would  seem  that  they  would  yet  perform  an  important 
work  for  the  breed. 

520.  Uses  of  Duroc-Jersey  hogs.  —  The  Duroc-Jersey 
is  essentially  a  producer  of  fat  or  lard  hogs,  and  it  seems  to 


THE  FAT  OB  LARD  BREEDS  OF  SWINE  429 

be  meeting  the  demands  of  the  American  packer  in  a  satis- 
factory manner.  As  a  bacon  hog,  it  is  not  a  success. 

It  is  an  early  maturing  hog,  and  makes  economical 
gains,  as  has  been  demonstrated  by  experiments.  It  must 
be  repeated  again,  however,  that  individuality  is  much 
more  important  than  breed  in  regard  to  economy  of  pro- 
duction. It  is  safe  to  say  that  the  Duroc-Jersey  will 
make  as  cheap  gains  as  any  other  breed.  The  Duroc- 
Jersey  has  considerable  reputation  as  a  grazer,  and  also 
takes  kindly  to  corn-feeding.  It  has  an  advantage  over 
most  white  breeds,  in  that  its  skin  does  not  blister  with  the 
sun,  and  it  is  therefore  gaining  favor  in  the  South.  The 
meat  of  the  Duroc-Jersey  is  similar  to  that  of  the  Chester- 
White  and  the  Poland-China  when  fed  under  the  same  con- 
ditions. If  fed  a  mixed  ration,  it  is  capable  of  producing 
meat  with  a  good  proportion  of  lean. 

The  Duroc-Jersey,  for  a  fat  hog,  is  prolific,  although  it 
can  hardly  be  said  to  equal  the  Large  Yorkshire  and  the 
Tarn  worth  in  this  respect. 

The  Duroc-Jersey  crosses  well  with  other  breeds,  and  a 
cross  with  the  Poland-China  or  the  Berkshire  is  very 
popular.  The  boars  do  excellent  work  as  improvers  of 
common  stock. 

521.  Distribution.  —  The  Duroc-Jersey  is  found  in  a 
great  many  states,  the  most  important  of  which  are  Iowa, 
Illinois,    Nebraska,    Kansas,    Missouri,    Indiana,    Ohio, 
Minnesota,    Oklahoma,    Texas,    Kentucky,    Tennessee, 
Michigan  and  Wisconsin.    The  breed  is  also  largely  repre- 
sented in  many  other  states.     The  breed  has  been  intro- 
duced into  Canada,  but  has  not  made  much  progress  as 
yet  in  that  country  although  there  are  some  good  herds, 
especially  in  the  western  provinces. 

522.  Organizations     and     records.  —  The     American 


430  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

Duroc-Jersey  Swine  Breeders'  Association  was  organized 
in  1883,  but  it  was  not  incorporated  until  1888.  The  first 
herd-book  was  published  in  1885,  and  forty-one  volumes 
have  been  issued  since,  containing  108,000  registrations. 
The  National  Duroc-Jersey  Record  Association  was  organ- 
ized in  1891,  and  published  its  first  herd-book  in  1893.  It 
has  published  forty-eight  volumes  to  date,  containing 
314,000  registrations.  In  Canada,  Duroc- Jerseys  are  re- 
corded in  the  Dominion  Swine  Breeders'  Record. 

Literature.  —  "The  Duroc  Bulletin"  is  a  semi-monthly  paper 
published  at  Peoria,  Illinois,  in  the  interests  of  Duroc-Jersey  swine. 


CHESTER-WHITE  SWINE.    Fig.  89. 
By  G.  E.  Day 

523.  The  Chester-White  is  an  American  breed  of  swine 
of  the  fat-  or  lard-hog  type,  but  possessing  good  bacon 
qualities.      It    ranks   with    the   three   other    great   lard 
breeds. 

524.  History.  —  Most  authorities  on  this  breed  recog- 
nize three  strains  of  Chester-White  swine,  the  origin  of 
which  may  be  briefly  summed  as  follows : 

(1)  The  original  Chester-White  founded  in  Chester 
county,  Pennsylvania,  whence  the  name.  Large,  white 
pigs  were  common  in  Chester  county  many  years  ago. 
They  were  taken  there  by  the  earliest  settlers,  although 
just  where  these  original  pigs  came  from  is  not  altogether 
clear.  About  the  year  1818,  Captain  James  Jeffries  im- 
ported from  England  a  pair  of  white  pigs,  which  are  spoken 
of  as  Bedfordshire  pigs,  and  as  Cumberland  pigs.  Captain 
Jeffries  used  the  boar  on  the  native  white  pigs  of  the  dis- 


THE  FAT  OR  LARD  BREEDS  OF  SWINE          431 

trict  with  good  results.  Later,  it  is  stated,  white  Chinese 
pigs  were  imported  to  Chester  county  and  crossed  on  the 
native  pigs.  Eventually  the  different  strains  of  blood 
were  combined,  and  from  this  combination  came  the  original 
Chester-White  breed. 

(2)  Todd's   Improved   Chester-White  has  a   somewhat 
complicated  history.     About  1827,  Norfolk  Thin    Rind 
pigs  were  imported  from  England  to  Connecticut.    Two 
brothers,  named  Todd,  bought  a  boar  of  this  breed,  and  a 
sow  of  what  was  called  the  Grass  breed,  and  took  them 
to  Ohio,  where  they  were  bred  together  with  considerable 
success.     Later,  a  Joseph  Haskins  brought  to  Ohio  a  boar 
of  the  Byfield  breed,  and  a  sow  similar  to  the  original 
Todd  sow.     The  Todd  and  Haskins  pigs  were  freely  bred 
together.     Isaac  Todd  also  used  other  boars  in  his  herd, 
one  of  which  was  said  to  have  been  of  the  large  Grass 
breed,  and  another  was  called  a  Normandy  boar;   little 
is  known  of  the  breeding  of  either.     Both  of  these  boars 
were  white  in  color.     In  1865,  Isaac  Todd  introduced 
Chester-White  blood.     His  son,  S.  H.  Todd,  made  further 
use  of  the  Chester-White,  and  by  careful  breeding  and 
selection  evolved  what  is  known  as  Todd's  Improved 
Chester-White. 

(3)  The  Ohio  Improved  Chester-White  is  the  product  of 
the  efforts  of  L.  B.  Silver,  of  Ohio,  who,  in  1865,  began 
breeding  Chester-Whites,  and  who  aimed  to  produce  a 
superior  type  through  selection. 

525.  Description.  —  Some  years  ago,  the  Chester- White 
was  rated  as  the  largest  breed  in  the  United  States,  but 
modern  methods  of  breeding  have  decreased  the  size  and 
produced  an  animal  of  more  quality  than  the  original  type. 
As  bred  at  present,  the  Chester-White  may  be  ranked  as  of 
medium  size,  or  about  the  same  as  the  Poland-China. 


432  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

The  face  is  straight,  or  very  slightly  dished,  and  the  snout 
is  generally  somewhat  longer  than  that  of  the  Poland- 
China.  The  ear  droops,  somewhat  like  that  of  the  Poland- 
China,  although  it  is  generally  heavier,  and  the  droop,  or 
break,  is  usually  farther  from  the  tip.  It  is  common  for 
the  ear  to  be  somewhat  loosely  attached  to  the  head.  In 

general  conformation,  the 
Chester- White  is  similar  to 
the  Poland-China,  although 
the  latter  generally  excels  in 
depth  and  fullness  of  ham. 

The    color    is    white,    no 
FIG.  89.  —  Chester-White  boar,      black  hair  being  admissible, 

although  it  is  common  for 

black  or  bluish  spots  to  occur  on  the  skin.  In  many 
specimens,  the  hair  has  a  decided  tendency  to  be  wavy, 
and  even  curly  (Fig.  89). 

526.  Types.  —  The  Chester-White  is  capable  of  show- 
ing extreme  variations  of  type  in  the  hands  of  different 
breeders.  In  American  show-rings,  the  short-legged,  fine- 
boned,  deep,  thick,  smooth  type  is  generally  preferred  by 
the  judges,  who  seem  willing  to  sacrifice  considerable  size 
in  order  to  get  smoothness  and  quality.  Larger,  heavier- 
boned  types  occasionally  appear,  but  are  generally  dis- 
couraged by  the  judges.  In  Canada,  greater  importance 
is  attached  to  length,  and  some  very  lengthy,  heavy-boned 
Chester-Whites  are  frequently  seen  in  Canadian  show- 
rings.  At  the  1907  Provincial  Winter  Fair,  at  Guelph, 
Ontario,  a  pair  of  Chester-White  carcasses  were  exhibited 
in  the  bacon  class  in  competition  with  Yorkshires,  Tam- 
worths  and  Berkshires,  and  though  they  were  not  ideal 
bacon  carcasses  by  any  means,  they  were  good  enough  to 
win  sixth  prize;  and  a  number  of  Yorkshire  and  Tarn- 


THE  FAT  OE   LARD  BREEDS   OF  SWINE  433 

worth  carcasses,  together  with  all  the  Berkshire  carcasses, 
were  ranked  below  them.  Any  person  who  has  seen  the 
unequaled  exhibit  of  bacon  carcasses  at  Guelph,  will  under- 
stand that  these  hogs  must  have  been  about  as  far  away 
in  type  from  the  American  prize-winning  Chester- White 
as  it  is  possible  to  get.  This  is  an  extreme  case,  but  it 
illustrates  the  possibilities  of  the  breed  under  different 
systems  of  selection  and  feeding.  As  to  the  different 
strains  mentioned  in  the  history  of  the  breed,  they  have 
now  all  assumed  very  much  the  same  type. 

527.  Uses  of  Chester- White  hogs.  —  Although  the 
Chester- White  can  be  made  to  approach  the  bacon  type 
through  selection  and  feeding,  as  mentioned  in  the  pre- 
ceding paragraph,  it  can  never  be  made  an  ideal  bacon 
hog,  and  it  seems  like  a  waste  of  energy  to  attempt 
to  make  it  a  bacon  breed  when  first-class  bacon  breeds 
are  already  available.  The  Chester-White  is  especially 
adapted  to  the  fat-hog  trade,  and  will  no  doubt  continue 
as  such.  Crosses  of  the  Chester-White  with  the  Large 
Yorkshire  and  Tamworth  have  given  very  satisfactory 
results  in  Canada,  and  it  is  only  through  crossing  that 
Chester-White  blood  can  be  used  successfully  in  the  bacon 
trade.  For  the  requirements  of  the  American  packer,  the 
Chester-White  is  eminently  well  suited. 

The  quality  of  meat  produced  by  the  Chester-White  is 
good,  but  is  somewhat  lacking  in  lean.  It  is  generally 
conceded  that  the  Yorkshire,  Tamworth  and  Berkshire 
produce  more  lean  in  proportion  to  fat. 

In  early  maturity,  the  Chester-White  compares  favor- 
ably with  other  breeds,  and  it  is  an  economical  producer 
of  meat.  In  feeding  trials  it  has  given  a  good  account  of 
itself,  but,  as  previously  stated,  no  breed  can  claim  su- 
periority over  other  breeds  in  this  respect,  so  far  as  we  can 


434  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

judge  from  experimental  work  and  from  practical  experi- 
ence. The  Chester-White  is  also  a  good  grazer,  and  in 
this  feature  probably  excels  the  Yorkshire  and  the  Tarn- 
worth,  which  are  better  adapted  to  pen  feeding. 

It  is  said  that  the  Chester- White,  as  a  breed,  is  some- 
what more  prolific  than  the  Poland-China  and  the  fine 
type  of  Berkshire.  The  assertion  is  supported  by  the 
findings  of  A.  W.  Bitting,  who  investigated  the  matter 
in  1897. 

For  crossing  purposes,  the  Chester-White  is  highly 
esteemed,  a  cross  with  the  Poland-China  being  regarded 
with  especial  favor  by  feeders.  The  grade  Chester-White 
sow  is  a  very  useful  farmer's  pig,  and  pure-bred  boars  are 
very  effective  in  improving  common  stock. 

528.  Distribution.  —  The  Chester-White  is  largely  dis- 
tributed over  the  United  States.     It  is  very  popular  in 
the  eastern  states,  and  is  strongly  represented  in  Ohio, 
Indiana,  Illinois,  Iowa,  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Pennsylvania 
and  other  states.     It  has  also  spread  to  the  South,  to 
some  extent  at  least,  and  seems  to  be  giving  satisfaction. 
For  some  reason  it  has  gained  a  much  stronger  foothold 
in  Canada  than  the  Poland-China,  probably  because  it 
seems  more  easily  bred  to  a  lengthy  type  than  the  Poland- 
China. 

529.  Organizations     and     records.  —  The     American 
Chester- White  Record  Association  took  over  the  business 
of  the  Chester-White  Record  Association  in  1894.     The 
Chester- White  Record  Association  was  organized  in  1884, 
to  support  Todd's  Improved  Chester- White  Swine,  and 
issued  four  volumes  previous  to  1894,  when  it  was  changed 
to  the  American  Chester- White  Record.     The  Ohio  Im- 
proved Chester-White  Swine  Breeders'  Association  was 
organized  in  1897.     For  registration  in  the  herd-book  of 


THE  FAT  OR  LARD  BREEDS  OF  SWINE          435 

this  Association,  pedigrees  must  trace  to  the  herd  of  L.  B. 
Silver,  who  has  already  been  referred  to  as  the  originator 
of  the  Ohio  Improved  Chester- White,  or  the  O.  I.  C.  strain, 
as  it  is  generally  called.  The  Standard  Chester-White 
Record  Association  was  organized  in  1890,  and  the  National 
Chester- White  Record  Association  in  1880.  On  June  15, 
1913,  the  Standard  Chester- White  Record  Association  and 
the  American  Chester- White  Record  Association  consoli- 
dated into  the  Chester- White  Swine  Record  Association. 
On  March  11,  1915,  the  National  O.  I.  C.  Chester-White 
Record  Association  also  joined,  making  a  total  member- 
ship of  2500.  The  aggregate  number  of  animals  recorded 
in  the  three  associations  that  now  form  the  Chester- White 
Swine  Record  Association  is  90,000.  In  addition  there  are 
the  Ohio  Improved  or  O.  I.  C.  Swine  Breeders'  Association 
with  50,000  animals  recorded  and  a  membership  of  900 
and  the  National  Chester- White  Record  Association  with 
25,000  registrations  and  300  members. 

In  Canada,  Chester- Whites  are  recorded  in  the  Dominion 
Swine  Breeders'  Record. 

Literature.  —  The  American  Chester- White  Record  Association 
has  undertaken  the  publication  of  an  annual  called  "The  Annual 
Chester-White  Bulletin,"  which  contains  some  information  regard- 
ing the  breed,  names  of  breeders  and  advertisements.  "The  Chester- 
White  Hog  Breeders'  Directory,"  by  Frank  F.  Moore,  Secretary  of 
the  Standard  Chester- White  Record  Association,  contains  consid- 
erable information,  of  interest  to  Chester- White  breeders. 


436  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

HAMPSHIRE  OR  THIN  RIND  SWINE.    Plate  XV. 
By  G.  E.  Day 

530.  The  Hampshire  or  Thin  Rind  is  said  to  be  a 
bacon  hog,  but  it  may  be  placed  more  correctly  between 
the  bacon  and  fat-hog  types.     Its  show-ring  winnings  in 
this  country  have  been  in  fat  classes. 

531.  History.  —  The  original  American  name  of  this 
breed  is  Thin  Rind.     In  1904,  the  organization  which  looks 
after  the  interests  of  the   breed   changed  the  name  to 
Hampshire,  which  is  now  the  official  name  of  the  breed. 
It  is  the  latest  addition  to  the  recognized  pure  breeds  of 
swine  in  the  United  States. 

According  to  H.  F.  Work,  the  Hampshire  traces  to  pigs 
brought  to  Massachusetts  from  Hampshire,  England, 
about  1820  or  1825.  It  is  also  stated  that  descendants  of 
this  importation  were  taken  to  Kentucky  about  1835. 
Be  this  as  it  may,  the  breed  has  been  known  in  Kentucky 
for  many  years.  Various  theories  regarding  its  origin 
have  been  advanced,  but  it  seems  impossible  to  secure 
definite  and  reliable  information  regarding  the  origin  of 
the  breed. 

532.  Description.  —  The  Hampshire  is  only  medium  in 
size,  and,  if  there  is  any  difference,  it  will  scarcely  equal 
the  Chester- White  and  the  Duroc-Jersey  in  weight.    The 
face  is  straight,  and  the  ear  is  inclined  forward  but  does 
not  droop  like  that  of  the  Poland-China.     The  jowl  is 
lighter  than  that  of  the  general  run  of  fat  hogs,  as  is  also 
the  shoulder  and  the  ham.     The  back  is  of  medium  width, 
and  the  side  has  fair  length  but  is  not  so  deep  as  that  of 
a  typical  fat  hog.     The  legs  are  of  medium  length,  and 
the  bone  is  of  good  quality.     It  may  be  described  as 


THE  FAT  OR  LARD  BREEDS  OF  SWINE     437 

between  the  bacon  and  the  fat  type.  H.  F.  Work,  at  one 
time  Secretary  of  the  American  Hampshire  Association; 
describes  the  color  as  follows :  "In  color,  they  are  either 
listed  or  blacks,  the  most  fashionable  colors  consisting  of 
black  extremities  with  a  white  belt  four  to  twelve  inches 
wide,  encircling  the  body  and  including  the  fore-legs,  which 
should  also  be  white."  The  term  "  listed  "  means  that 
the  white  belt  is  present.  Work  further  states  that  there 
are  some  breeders  who  try  to  run  their  herds  all  black, 
and  asserts  that  breeders  should  not  be  too  particular  re- 
garding color,  except  in  cases  when  white  spots  occur. 

533.  Types.  —  Hampshires  do  not  vary  extremely  in 
type,  if  we  may  judge  by  exhibits  made  at  the  leading 
shows,   and  the  breed  has   not   yet   attained   sufficient 
prominence  to  admit  of  an  intelligent  study  of  this  phase 
of  the  question. 

534.  Uses  of  Hampshire  hogs.  —  It  is  claimed  for  the 
Hampshire  that  it  is  a  bacon  hog.     In  regard  to  this  claim, 
we  must  bear  in  mind  that  what  the  American  packer  calls 
a  bacon  hog  is  a  very  different  animal  from  the  one  re- 
quired to  make  a  "  Wiltshire  side  "  for  export  to  Eng- 
land.    It  is  animals  suitable  for  making  "  Wiltshire  sides  " 
that  have  given  rise  to  the  market  term,  "  bacon  hog," 
and  if  judged  from  this  standpoint,  the  Hampshire  would 
fall  far  short  of  requirements.     It  is  altogether  too  short 
in  the  side,  too  thick  in  the  shoulder,  and  too  heavy  in 
the  neck  to  make  a  number  one  "  Wiltshire  side,"  but 
as  a  light-weight  hog  for  supplying  bacon  for  home  con- 
sumption, the  Hampshire  answers  the  purpose  very  satis- 
factorily. 

In  early  maturity  and  feeding  qualities,  the  Hampshire 
seems  to  be  giving  good  satisfaction  to  those  who  are 
handling  it,  and  it  is  highly  esteemed  as  a  grazer.  It  is 


438  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

an  active,  hardy  breed,  and  there  is  no  apparent  reason 
why  it  should  not  give  as  good  an  account  of  the  food  it 
consumes  as  any  other  breed. 

In  quality  of  flesh,  the  Hampshire  has  an  enviable 
reputation.  It  has  made  an  excellent  record  in  the 
dressed  carcass  competitions  at  the  International  Live 
Stock  Exposition  at  Chicago,  and  the  packers  appear  to 
regard  it  with  high  approval.  Its  strong  point  is  the  large 
proportion  of  lean. 

The  Hampshire  ranks  high  in  regard  to  fecundity,  and 
appears  to  be  one  of  the  most  prolific  of  American  breeds 
so  far  as  we  are  able  to  investigate  the  matter. 

The  value  of  the  Hampshire  for  cross-breeding  is  not 
well  known,  but  it  seems  reasonable  to  suppose  that  it 
should  cross  well  with  the  fat  types  of  hogs. 

The  belted  color  arrangement  of  the  Hampshire  is  not 
invariable,  both  belted  and  black  pigs  appearing  in  the 
same  litter.  Therefore  too  strict  adherence  to  this  color 
characteristic  may  actually  retard  practical  improvement 
in  the  breed. 

535.  Distribution.  —  According  to  the  secretary  of  the 
Hampshire  Association,  the  breed  is  to  be  found  in  a  large 
number  of  states,  but  the  numbers  in  any  one  state  are 
not   large,   comparatively   speaking.     Kentucky,   Illinois 
and  Indiana  are  probably  the  most  important  centers, 
but  the  breed  has  been  making  rapid  progress  of  late. 
A  few  importations  have  been  made  into  Canada,  but 
the  breed  is  not  as  yet  largely  represented. 

536.  Organizations     and     records.  —  The     American 
Hampshire  Swine  Record  Association  was  organized  in 
1893,  and  published  its  first  herd-book  in  1906.     Ten 
volumes  of  the  herd-book  have  been  published  to  date, 
with  a  total  of  93,000  registrations. 


THE  FAT  OB  LAED  BREEDS  OF  8 WINE 


439 


CHESHIRE  SWINE.    Fig.  90. 
By  G.  E.  Day 

537.  Cheshire  swine  are  a  breed  of  American  origin, 
and  may  be  classed  under  the  fat-hog  type.    They  have 
not  attained  much  popularity  outside  of  a  restricted  area 
in  New  York  state. 

538.  History.  —  The  Cheshire  originated  in  Jefferson 
county,  New  York,  and  dates  from  about  1855.     J.  H. 
Sanders,  of  Chicago,  who  bred  Cheshires  for  some  years, 
stated  in  a  letter  to  F.  D.  Cob  urn,  that  he  considered  the 
Cheshire  to  be  "  simply  a  derivative  of  the  Yorkshire." 
The  Yorkshire  was  brought  into  Jefferson  county  and 
used  on  the  white  pigs  of  the  district.     Early  in  the  sixties 
hogs  of  this  breed  were  shown  at  the  agricultural  fairs, 
where  they  attained  some  popularity.   The  Swine  Breeders' 
convention,   in  a  meeting  at   Indianapolis,   Indiana,  in 
1872,  adopted  the  name  Cheshire  for  the  breed.     It  is 
thought  that  Suffolk  blood  was  also  used  in  the  combina- 
tion, which  eventually  resulted  in  the  Cheshire. 

539.  Description.  —  The  Cheshire  is  about  medium  in 
size,    but    some    specimens   attain    heavy   weights.      It 
is    said    that    the   Cheshire 

weighs  well  for  its  appear- 
ance, and  is  a  heavier  breed 
than  is  generally  supposed. 
Although  the  body  is  not 
noted  for  depth,  it  gener- 
ally has  good  length,  and 
the  shoulders  and  hams  are 
usually  well  developed.  The  face  is  slightly  dished,  and 
the  ear  rather  small  and  erect.  The  bone  is  fine  and 


FIG.  90.  —  Cheshire  barrow. 


440  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

of  fair  quality.  The  color  of  the  breed  is  white.  Black 
spots  frequently  occur  on  the  skin,  which,  though  objec- 
tionable, do  not  disqualify  (Fig.  90). 

540.  Types.  —  In  his  letter  to  F.  D.  Coburn,  previously 
referred  to,  J.  H.  Sanders  stated  that  in  his  herd  he  had 
produced  "  all  the  different  types  of  Yorkshire,  from  the 
Large  York  down  to  the  Lancashire  Short-Face."     The 
type  he  succeeded  in  producing  "was  almost  identical,  in 
size,  form  and  quality,  with  the  most  approved  medium 
Berkshire."     As  bred  at  present,  the  type  probably  does 
not  vary  any  more  than  that  of  other  breeds. 

541.  Uses  of  Cheshire  hogs.  —  The  Cheshire,  as  gener- 
ally seen,  belongs  more  to  the  fat  hog  than  to  the  bacon 
class,  although  it  should  not  be  difficult  to  develop  it  into 
a  fairly  good  bacon  breed.     It  appears  to  be  a  good  feeder, 
dresses  out  well,  and  its  meat  is  admitted  to  be  of  excellent 
quality.     The  sows  are  fairly  prolific  and  breed  very  read- 
ily, and  the  boars  appear  to  be  prepotent,  although  but 
little  is  known  regarding  their  value  for  crossing  purposes. 

542.  Distribution.  —  The  Cheshire  is  found  mainly  in 
New  York  state,  the  Animal  Husbandry  Department  of 
the  New  York  State  College  of  Agriculture  being  one  of 
the  most  ardent  advocates  of  this  breed.     A  few  scattered 
herds  are  kept  in  other  states,  more  particularly  in  certain 
of  the  New  England  and  middle  states.     The  breed  has 
made  but  little  progress,  and  does  not  seem  likely  ever  to 
attain  prominence.     No  doubt  a  few  have  been  taken  into 
Canada,  but  none  have  ever  been  recorded  in  the  Cana- 
dian record. 

543.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  Cheshire  Swine 
Breeders'  Association  was  organized  in  1884,  and  has  pub- 
lished six  volumes  of  its  herd-book  to  date,  registering  over 
5800  hogs.     The  first  volume  appeared  in  1889. 


THE  FAT  OR  LARD  BREEDS   OF  SWINE  441 

VICTORIA  SWINE.    Plate  XVI.     Fig.  91. 
By  G.  E.  Day 

544.  The  Victoria  breed  of  swine  originated  in  America, 
but  unlike  the  Poland-China  and  the  Duroc-Jersey,  the 
great  American  breeds,  it  has  not  gained  much  popularity. 
It  is  of  the  fat-hog  type. 

545.  History.  —  At  one  time  there  were  two  breeds  of 
Victoria  swine,  but  only  one  breed  and  type  is  now  recog- 
nized.    The  breed  that  has  secured  the  ascendancy  was 
originated  by  George  F.  Davis,  Dyer,  Indiana,  and  was 
formed  by  combining  the  blood  of  the  Poland-China, 
Berkshire,  Chester- White   and   Suffolk,  accompanied  by 
careful  selection  to  a  type.     The  origin  of  the  breed  dates 
to  about  1870. 

The  other  breed  was  established  about  1850  by  Colonel 
F.  D.  Curtis,  of  New  York  state,  who  is  said  to  have  used 
Irish  Grazier,  Byfield,  Yorkshire  and  Suffolk  blood. 
This  breed  seems  to  have  disappeared  as  a  recognized  pure 
breed. 

546.  Description.  —  The    Victoria    ranks    with    the 
medium-sized  breeds,  being  similar  to  the  Berkshire  in 
size.     The   snout   is   rather 

short,  the  face  dished,  and 
the  ear,  which  is  of  only 
medium  size,  is  firmly  at- 
tached to  the  head  and  erect. 
The  body  is  broad  and  deep, 
and  the  hams  and  shoulders 

,  ,  11      i        i          i  FIG.  91.  —  Victoria  sow. 

reasonably  well    developed. 

The  color  is  white,  with  occasional  dark  spots  on  the 

skin  (Fig.  91). 


442  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

547.  Uses  of  Victoria  hogs.  —  The  Victoria  belongs  to 
the  fat  class.     We  have  little  information  regarding  its 
early  maturity  and  feeding  qualities,  but  from  the  fact 
that  it  does  not  increase  rapidly  in  popularity,  it  would 
seem  that  the  public  does  not  recognize  any  outstanding 
merit  or  advantage  over  other  breeds.     In  quality  of  meat, 
it  appears  quite  equal  to  other  breeds,  and  it  has  a  good 
reputation  for  being  prolific. 

Its  value  for  cross-breeding  has  not  been  well  demon- 
strated. 

548.  Distribution.  —  According  to  Plumb,  the  Victoria 
is   found   mainly   in   Indiana,   Ohio    and    Illinois,   with 
scattered  herds  in  a  few  other  states.     A  very  few  Vic- 
torias have  found  their  way  into  Canada,  but  the  breed  is 
now  nearly  extinct  in  that  country.     For  some  reason  the 
breed  does  not  make  much  progress. 

549.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  Victoria  Swine 
Breeders'  Association  was  organized  in  1886,  and  the  Vic- 
toria Swine  Record  is  published  by  this  association.     In 
Canada,  only  nine  animals  of  this  breed  have  been  recorded 
in  the  Dominion  Swine  Breeders'  Record. 


ESSEX  SWINE.    Fig.  92. 
By  G.  E.  Day 

550.  The  Essex  is  a  small,  easily  fattened  pig  of  the 
American  or  fat-hog  type.     It  originated  in  England. 

551.  History.  —  The  Essex  pig  takes  its  name  from 
the  county  of  Essex  in  England.     The  original  Essex  pig 
was  an  extremely  undesirable  feeder's  type,  being  coarse 
in  bone,  flat  in  the  rib  and  long  in  the  leg.     It  was  hard 
to  fatten  and  slow  to  mature.     In  color  it  was  generally 


THE  FAT  OR  LARD   BREEDS   OF  SWINE  443 

black  and  white.  In  1830,  Lord  Western  imported  black 
Neapolitan  pigs  from  Italy,  and  crossed  them  with  the 
Essex  pigs.  In  the  course  of  time  he  evolved  a  type  that 
was  a  wonderful  improvement  on  the  old  Essex,  and  it  is 
said  that  he  used  other  blood  than  that  of  the  Neapolitan. 
It  is  stated  that  Lord  Western  inbred  too  closely,  and  that  his 
pigs  became  weak  in  constitution  and  lacking  in  fecundity. 

Soon  after  Lord  Western  began  his  work  of  improve- 
ment, one  of  his  tenants,  named  Fisher  Hobbes,  took  up 
the  breeding  of  Essex-Neapolitan  pigs,  and  in  his  hands 
the  breed  was  much  improved,  increasing  in  size  and  im- 
proving in  constitution  and  breeding  qualities.  The 
Hobbes  strain  was  called  Improved  Essex,  and  gained  in 
popularity  very  rapidly. 

It  is  said  that  some  of  the  old  Essex  pigs  existed  in  the 
United  States  as  early  as  1820.  When  the  Improved 
Essex  had  established  its  reputation,  importations  to 
America  became  common,  and  large  numbers  were  brought 
out,  but  of  late  years  very  few  importations  have  been  made. 

552.  Description.  —  The  Essex  must  be  classed  with 
the  small  breeds,  being,  as  a  breed,  decidedly  smaller  than 
the  Berkshire  or  the  Poland- 
China.  It  is  a  short,  thick, 
deep,  chunky  type  of  pig, 
with  short,  fine-boned  legs. 
The  snout  is  short,  the  face 
dished,  the  forehead  broad, 
and  the  ears  small,  fine  and 
erect,  but  inclined  to  droop 

slightly  with  age.  The  neck  is  very  short,  and  the 
shoulders  and  hams  largely  developed.  Altogether,  it  is 
a  very  smooth,  compact  type  of  hog.  The  color  is  all 
black,  no  white  being  admissible  (Fig.  92). 


444  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

553.  Types.  —  To  meet  the  modern  demand,   many 
breeders  of  Essex  swine  are  striving  to  develop  a  type  with 
more  size,  heavier  bone  and  greater  length.     That  they 
are  meeting  with  some  degree  of  success  is  evidenced  by 
the  types  of  Essex  placed  on  exhibition  at  some  of  the  fairs 
during  the  past  few  years.     This  recent  type  gives  more 
promise  of  present-day  utility  than  the  type  we  have 
been  accustomed  to  see. 

554.  Uses  of  Essex  hogs.  —  The  Essex  belongs  to  the 
extremely  quick  maturing,  easily  fattened  type.     Its  lack 
of  size  prevents  its  becoming  popular  with  the  general 
farmer,  and  it  is  more  suited  to  the  requirements  of  the 
villager,  who  keeps  one  or  two  pigs,  and  who  wishes  to 
use  the  minimum  amount  of  food.     He  will  not  have  so 
many  pounds  of  pork,  but  he  will  have  a  finished  hog  with 
a  small  outlay.     The  breed  is  regarded  as  being  a  cheap 
producer  of  meat,  and  no  doubt  such  is  the  case ;   but  it 
would  not  be  safe  to  assume  that  it  will  always  produce 
meat  at  a  lower  cost  than  larger  breeds.    The  meat  from 
the  Essex  is  fine-grained,  but  excessively  fat. 

The  sows  are  not  regarded  as  prolific,  but  a  great  deal 
depends  on  how  they  are  fed  and  managed. 

For  cross-breeding,  the  Essex  is  suitable  for  crossing 
with  unduly  coarse  types.  In  the  past,  it  played  an  im- 
portant part  in  improving  other  breeds,  but  as  the  breeds 
of  swine  have  been  brought  to  a  finer  type,  the  field  of  the 
Essex  has  become  narrowed,  until  the  breed  is  now  more 
famous  for  what  it  has  accomplished  than  for  what  it  is 
capable  of  doing  at  present.  About  the  only  important 
opening  for  it  in  the  United  States  at  present,  is  the  con- 
quest of  the  "  Razorback  "  of  the  South,  and  on  this 
mission  it  has  already  set  forth. 

555.  Distribution.  —  The  Essex  has   spread  from  its 


THE  FAT  OR  LARD  BREEDS  OF  SWINE  445 

native  county  into  several  other  English  counties.  It  has 
been  exported  to  several  European  countries,  to  Australia-, 
Canada  and  the  United  States.  It  would  be  difficult  to 
select  any  state  as  an  important  center  for  this  breed,  but 
it  occurs,  scattered  here  and  there  in  small  lots,  in  a  large 
number  of  states.  It  has  become  very  popular  in  the 
South. 

The  Essex  has  nearly  disappeared  from  Canada.  None 
of  the  Canadian  exhibitions  makes  a  separate  class  for 
this  breed. 

556.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  American  Essex 
Association  was  organized  in  1887,  but  its  membership  is 
not  large.     It  has  published  two  volumes  of  its  record, 
which   contain   some   1500   names.     In    Canada,    Essex 
swine   are   recorded   in  the   Dominion  Swine   Breeders' 
Record,  but  only  286  animals  have  ]3een  recorded. 

SUFFOLK  SWINE.    Fig.  93. 
By  G.  E.  Day 

557.  The  Suffolk  is  an  English  breed  of  swine,  closely 
identified  with  the  Small  Yorkshire,  and  of  little  impor- 
tance in  America.     It  may  be  classed  with  the  fat-  or  lard- 
hog  types.     It  is  best  adapted  to  intensive  conditions, 
where  land  for  grazing  is  scarce  and  soiling  food  is  used  in 
addition  to  pasture. 

558.  History.  —  The  Suffolk  is  undoubtedly  of  the  same 
origin  as  the  Small  Yorkshire,  and  is  an  offshoot  of  the 
Small  White  breed  in  England.     There  is  no  such  breed 
as  a  White  Suffolk  recognized  in  England,  but  the  name 
Suffolk  was  sometimes  applied  locally  to  the  Small  Black 
breed,  of  which  the  Essex  is  a  representative. 


446  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE  STOCK 

The  breed  is  said  to  have  been  brought  to  the  United 
States  in  1855,  but  it  has  never  made  much  progress,  and 
seems  to  be  losing  ground  steadily. 

559.  Description.  —  At  the  National  Swine  Breeders' 
Convention  at  Indianapolis,  Indiana,  in  1872,  the  follow- 
ing description  of  the  Suffolk  was  approved :    "  Head 
small,    very   short;     cheeks   prominent   and    full;     face 
dished ;  snout  small  and  very  short ;  jowl  fine ;  ears  short, 
small,  thin,  upright,  soft  and  silky ;   neck  very  short  and 
thick,  the  head  appearing  almost  as  if  set  on  front  of 
shoulders,  no  arching  of  crest;    chest  wide  and  deep; 
elbows  standing  out ;  brisket  wide  but  not  deep ;  shoulders 
thick,   rather   upright,   rounding   outward   from   top   to 
elbow ;  crops  wide  and  full,  long  ribs,  well  arched  out  from 
back,  good  length  between  shoulders  and  hams;    flanks 
well  filled  out  and  coming  well  down  at  ham ;  back  broad, 
level,  straight  from  crest  to  tail,  not  falling  off  or  down 
at  the  tail;   hams  wide  and  full,  well  rounded  out,  twist 

very  wide  and  full  all  the 
way  down;  legs  small  and 
very  short,  standing  wide 
apart  —  in  sows,  just  keep- 
ing belly  from  the  ground; 
bone  fine,  feet  small,  hoofs 

rather  spreading;  tail  small) 

long  and  tapering;  skin  thin, 

of  a  pinkish  shade,  free  from  color ;  hair  fine  and  silky,  not 
too  thick ;  color  of  hair,  pale  yellowish  white,  perfectly  free 
from  any  spots  or  other  color;  size,  small  to  medium." 
In  size,  the  Suffolk  is  probably  slightly  larger  than  the 
Small  Yorkshire,  but  it  is  practically  the  same  breed  (Fig. 
93). 

560.  Uses  of  Suffolk  hogs.  —  What  has  been  said  re- 


THE  FAT  OB  LARD  BREEDS  OF  SWINE  447 

garding  Small  Yorkshires  under  this  heading  applies  here, 
as  the  breeds  are  essentially  the  same. 

561.  Distribution.  —  The  so-called  Suffolk  pig  is  con- 
fined to  the  United  States  and  Canada,  although  it  has 
practically  disappeared  from  the  latter  country.     In  the 
United  States  it  is  found  mainly  in  the  Mississippi  valley, 
but  herds  are  not  at  all  numerous. 

562.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  American  Suf- 
folk Association  was  organized  many  years  ago,  but  no 
herd-book  has  yet  been  published.     In  Canada,  Suffolks 
are  recorded  in  the  Dominion  Swine  Breeders'  Record, 
only  850  animals  having  been  recorded. 

SMALL  YORKSHIRE  OR  SMALL  WHITE  SWINE.     Plate  XVI. 
Figs.  94,  95. 

By  G.  E.  Day 

563.  The  Small  Yorkshire  is  an  English  breed  of  pigs, 
and  may  be  said  to  be  of  the  fat-hog  type.     It  is  of  rela- 
tive unimportance  in  America. 

564.  History.  —  The  Small  Yorkshire  comes  from  Eng- 
land, where  it  goes  by  the  name  of  "  Small  White,"  the 
name   "  Small  Yorkshire "   being   of  American     origin. 
The  breed  is  thought  to  be  of  Chinese  origin,  modified,  of 
course,  by  the  methods  of  the  English  breeders.     Various 
types  or  strains  of  Small  Whites  have  been  bred  in  England, 
but  at  present  they  are  not  regarded  as  a  distinct  breed. 

The  Small  Yorkshire  was  brought  to  the  United  States, 
according  to  Curtis,  in  1860,  and  numerous  importations 
were  made  between  that  time  and  1878. 

565.  Description.  —  The  Small  Yorkshire  may  be  con- 
sidered the  smallest  breed  of  swine  kept  in  the  United 


448 


THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 


FIG.  94.  —  Small  Yorkshire  boar. 


States.  It  has  a  very  short,  turned-up  snout,  wide  face, 
small,  erect  ears,  heavy  jowl,  and  a  very  short,  heavy  neck. 
The  body  is  short,  thick,  deep  and  smooth,  and  the  legs 

are  very  short  and  fine  in 
the  bone.  The  color  is  white 
and  the  hair  is  abundant, 
but  fine  (Figs.  94,  95). 

566.  Uses  of  Small  York- 
shire hogs.  —  It  is  somewhat 
difficult  to  give  any  very  im- 
portant use  for  Small  York- 
shires in  America.  The  breed  matures  very  early,  and 
fattens  easily,  but  produces  excessively  fat  meat.  It  is 
probably  most  suitable  for  the  cottager  who  wants  a  pig 
that  can  be  matured  with  a  small  amount  of  feed. 

There  is  no  American  breed  that  requires  crossing  with 
a  breed  like  the  Small  Yorkshire,  unless  it  is  the  "  Razor- 
back,"  and  the  Essex  seems  to  be  rather  better  adapted 
to  this  purpose,  as  it  will  stand  the  hot  sun  of  the  South 
better  than  a  white  pig.  Any  advantage  from  crossing 
with  ordinary  breeds  would  accrue  to  the  Small  York- 
shire, rather  than  to  the 
other  breed. 

The  Small  Yorkshire  is 
not  noted  for  fecundity,  and 
it  would  seem  as  though  the 
breed  were  destined  gradu- 
ally to  disappear,  unless 
some  unforeseen  conditions 
arise  which  call  for  the  services  of  a  pig  of  this  kind. 
567.  Distribution.  —  Small  Whites  still  are  found  in 
many  parts  of  England,  although  not  recognized  as  a  pure 
breed.  In  the  United  States,  under  the  name  of  Small 


FIG.  95.  —  Small  Yorkshire  sow. 


THE  FAT  OB  LARD  BREEDS   OF  SWINE  449 

Yorkshire,  small  herds  are  to  be  found,  mainly  in  the 
East.     The  breed  no  longer  attracts  much  attention. 

568.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  American  Small 
Yorkshire  Club  was  organized  in  1878,  and  has  recorded 
some  1500  pigs  in  its  herd-book.  The  American  Yorkshire 
Club  also  records  Small  Yorkshires,  the  Small  Yorkshires 
being  recorded  in  what  is  called  Class  A  and  the  Large 
Yorkshires  in  Class  B.  No  small  Yorkshires  have  been  re- 
corded under  this  name  in  Canada. 


2G 


CHAPTER  XVII 
THE  BACON  BREEDS  OF  SWINE 

SINCE  side  meat  is  the  most  important  yield  of  the 
bacon  hog,  length  instead  of  breadth  is  of  primary  con- 
sideration. Both  bacon  breeds  are  characterized  by 
extreme  length  and  all  that  is  correlated  with  it  —  longer 
legs,  less  width  throughout,  trimmer  jowl  and  under  line, 
lighter  shoulders  and  tapering  hind-quarters  or  gammons, 
devoid  of  any  fullness. 

LARGE  YORKSHIRE  OR  LARGE  WHITE  SWINE.    Plate  XVI. 
Figs.  96,  97. 

By  G.  E.  Day 

569.  The  Large  Yorkshire  is  an  English  breed  of  swine. 
It  possesses  very  superior  bacon  qualities,  and  stands  pre- 
eminent among  the  bacon-hog  types. 

570.  History  in  England.  —  The  large  Yorkshire  un- 
doubtedly descended  from  a  race  of  large,  coarse-boned, 
leggy,  white  hogs,  that  were  common  in  Yorkshire  and 
adjacent  counties  for  so  long  a  time  that  we  have  no 
definite  knowledge  of  their  origin.     These  coarse  white 
hogs  possessed  the  merit  of  size,  and  hence  it  was  possible 
to  improve  them  by  crossing  with  finer  breeds,  and  still 
retain  plenty  of  size  in  the  improved  type.     It  is  only 
within  the  past  sixty  or  seventy  years  that  any  marked 
improvement  was  effected  in  the  Large  White  hogs  of 

450 


THE  BACON  BREEDS  OF  SWINE  451 

Yorkshire.  According  to  Sidney,  the  first  important  step 
was  the  crossing  of  the  Yorkshire  with  the  white  Leicester, 
a  large  breed,  but  finer  in  bone,  and  more  easily  fattened 
than  the  original  Yorkshire.  Perhaps  the  most  important 
improvement  was  effected  by  crossing  with  the  Small 
Whites,  or,  as  they  are  now  called  in  America,  the  Small 
Yorkshires.  These  small,  fine-boned,  easily  fattened  hogs 
produced  a  very  marked  improvement  in  the  old  York- 
shire, which  has  been  still  further  improved  and  brought 
up  to  its  present  high  standard  of  excellence  by  judicious 
selection  in  the  hands  of  skillful  breeders. 

571.  History  in  America.  —  Large  White  hogs  have  been 
brought  to  the  United  States  at  different  times  during  the 
past  century,  but  the  improved  type  of  Large  Yorkshires 
can  scarcely  be  said  to  have  attained  a  standing  in  the 
United  States  until   1892.    Among  the  first  to  import 
them  into  Canada  were  some  of  the  packing  houses,  who 
brought  them  into  the  country  for  the  purpose  of  improv- 
ing the  "bacon  qualities  of  Canadian  hogs.     During  the 
past  twenty  or  twenty-five  years,  the  breed  has  made 
wonderful   progress  in   Canada,   and  has  more  animals 
recorded  in  the  Canadian  record  than  any  other  breed. 

572.  Description.  —  The  Large  Yorkshire  is  one  of  the 
largest  breeds  of  swine.     The  snout  is  of  medium  length, 
and  should  possess  little  or  no  dish,  although  there  is  a 
moderate  dish  in  the  face.     The  jowl  is  of  good  width  and 
muscular,  but  it  should  not  be  flabby,  nor  heavily  loaded 
with  fat.     The  ears  are  rather  large,  and  sometimes  in- 
clined forward,  especially  in  old  animals,  but  they  should 
be  firmly  attached  to  the  head,  should  not  be  coarse,  and 
should  be  fringed  with  fine  hair.     The  shoulder  and  back 
are  only  of  medium  width,  the  side  is  long,  and  the  ham 
carries  very  little  surface  fat,  making  it  lighter  than  the 


452 


THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 


FIG.  96. 


ham  of  the  fat  or  lard  type  of  hog.  The  flesh  of  the  ham 
should  be  carried  well  round  the  inside  of  the  thigh,  and 
the  ham  generally  shows  a  tapering  appearance  toward 
the  hock.  The  bone  is  fairly  heavy,  but  should  be  clean 
and  flinty  in  appearance.  The  leg  is  longer  than  the  leg 

of  the  fat  hog.  The  color  is 
white.  Black  hair  on  any 
part  should  disqualify.  Black 
or  blue  spots  on  the  skin  do 
not  disqualify,  but  are  ob- 
jected to,  and  the  aim  of 
breeders  is  to  reduce  these 

Large  Yorkshire  boar.  .    .  T      , , 

spots  to  a  minimum.  In  the 
description  of  the  snout  of  the  Large  Yorkshire,  the  stand- 
ard of  excellence  prepared  by  the  American  Yorkshire 
Club  falls  short  of  the  ideal  of  the  best  breeders  of  the 
present  day.  The  short,  turned-up  snout  is  no  longer 
popular,  although  it  is  very  frequently  seen  (Figs.  96,  97). 
573.  Types.  —  Large  Yorkshires  vary  more  of  less  in 
type,  and  it  requires  skill  in 
selection  to  keep  them  true 
to  the  best  type.  Some 
years  ago,  it  was  common  to 
find  Large  Yorkshires  with 
very  short,  turned-up  snouts. 
This  style  of  snout  is  gener- 

J    .         ,       .  .  FIG.  97.  —  Large  Yorkshire  sow. 

ally  associated  with  a  rather 

heavy  jowl,  neck  and  shoulder,  which,  from  a  bacon 
standpoint,  are  very  objectionable.  Another  type,  which 
is  frequently  seen,  has  a  long,  scrawny  neck,  narrow  chest 
and  long  coarse-boned  legs.  This  type  is  generally  very 
long  in  the  side  and  smooth  in  the  shoulder,  both  very 
desirable  features  from  a  bacon  curer's  standpoint;  but 


THE  BACON   BREEDS   OF  SWINE  453 

it  has  too  much  bone  and  too  coarse  a  skin,  and  lacks  in 
quantity  and  quality  of  flesh.  It  is  also  a  somewhat  slow 
feeder,  and  is  therefore  objectionable  from  a  farmer's 
standpoint.  The  most  desirable  type  has  sufficient  length 
of  side  to  make  a  good  packer's  hog,  and  has  constitution 
and  quality  to  such  a  marked  degree  that  it  is  unexcelled 
from  a  feeder's  standpoint. 

574.  Uses  of  Large  Yorkshire  hogs.  —  As  previously 
intimated,  the  Large  Yorkshire  is  especially  valued  for 
bacon-production,  where  a  long  side  abounding  in  lean 
meat,  and  a  light  shoulder  and  neck  are  especially  desir- 
able. The  large  size  and  strong  bone  of  this  breed  make 
it  valuable  for  crossing  on  breeds  that  have  become  un- 
duly fine  in  the  bone,  and  lack  size.  It  crosses  remark- 
ably well  with  the  Berkshire,  Chester-White  and  Poland- 
China,  as  well  as  other  fat  breeds,  increasing  the  size  and 
the  proportion  of  lean  meat  without  impairing  the  feed- 
ing qualities. 

The  Large  Yorkshire  is  frequently  spoken  of  as  being 
"  slower  maturing  "  than  the  fat  types  of  hogs,  but  this 
is  not  a  fair  way  of  stating  the  case.  From  the  bacon 
curer's  standpoint,  the  breed  will  reach  desirable  market 
weight  and  condition  at  as  early  an  age  as  any  existing 
breed,  and  there  are  few  breeds  that  equal  it  in  this  respect. 
Therefore,  from  the  standpoint  of  the  farmer  who  is  feed- 
ing hogs  for  the  bacon  trade,  no  breed  excels  the  York- 
shire in  point  of  early  maturity.  For  the  production  of  a 
fat  carcass  at  an  early  age,  however,  the  Large  Yorkshire 
is  not  so  well  adapted.  It  is  a  special-purpose  breed,  and 
must  be  regarded  as  such. 

From  the  fact  that  the  Large  Yorkshire  grows  rapidly 
and  develops  bone  and  muscle  more  readily  than  it 
develops  fat,  feeders  are  inclined  to  regard  it  as  an  expen- 


454  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

sive  hog  to  feed.  Careful  experiments  go  to  show  that 
such  is  not  the  case,  and  that,  under  most  circumstances, 
it  is  capable  of  giving  as  good  results  for  food  consumed 
as  any  other  breed.  It  is,  perhaps,  not  so  well  adapted  to 
grazing  as  some  other  breeds,  and  a  hot  sun  is  likely  to 
blister  the  skin.  It  is  probable,  too,  that  an  exclusive 
corn  ration  would  not  agree  with  it  so  well  as  with  some 
other  breeds  that  have  been  developed  especially  to  con- 
sume corn.  The  Large  Yorkshire  has  been  developed  in  a 
country  where  a  mixed  ration  is  used,  and  where  feeding 
in  pens  is  largely  practiced ;  and  under  such  conditions  it 
gives  an  excellent  account  of  the  food  it  consumes. 

For  quality  of  bacon,  the  Large  Yorkshire  is  rivaled 
only  by  the  Tamworth.  The  large  proportion  of  lean  to 
fat,  the  thick,  fleshy  belly  and  great  length  of  side,  render 
the  breed  peculiarly  desirable  from  a  bacon  curer's  and  a 
consumer's  standpoint.  At  the  Provincial  Winter  Fair, 
held  annually  at  Guelph,  Canada,  there  is  the  largest 
exhibit  of  bacon  carcasses  of  any  show  in  existence,  and  the 
Yorkshires  and  Yorkshire  grades  always  carry  off  the 
largest  share  of  the  prizes. 

Large  Yorkshire  sows  are  very  prolific,  and  are  splendid 
nurses.  The  boars  are  exceptionally  prepotent  and  stamp 
their  character  and  color  on  their  progeny  to  a  remarkable 
degree,  no  matter  what  they  are  crossed  with. 

576.  Distribution.  —  On  the  American  continent,  Large 
Yorkshires  have  made  the  greatest  progress  in  Canada, 
owing  to  the  fact  that  Canadians  have  been  paying  special 
attention  to  the  production  of  bacon  hogs.  In  the  United 
States,  their  progress  has  been  comparatively  slow,  and 
it  is  doubtful  whether  they  will  ever  attain  a  high  degree 
of  popularity,  especially  in  the  corn-belt,  where  the  fat 
type  of  hog  seems  better  adapted  to  prevailing  conditions. 


THE  BACON  BREED 8  OF  SWINE  455 

Minnesota  is  the  headquarters  for  the  breed,  and  they  are 
also  found  in  North  Dakota,  South  Dakota,  Iowa,  New 
York,  Ohio,  Michigan,  Wisconsin,  Virginia,  Massachu- 
setts and  some  other  states.  In  Canada,  they  are  to  be 
found  in  every  province,  Ontario  taking  the  lead. 

Large  Yorkshires  occupy  a  very  important  place  in 
Denmark,  and  there  are  comparatively  few  countries  of 
any  importance,  from  a  live-stock  standpoint,  where  the 
breed  is  not  represented. 

576.  Organizations  and  records. — The  American  York- 
shire Club  was  organized  in  1892,  and  the  first  herd-book 
was  published  in  1901.     Five  herd-books  have  been  pub- 
lished, in  which  22,000  animals  are  recorded.     In  Canada, 
Yorkshires  are  recorded  in  the  Dominion  Swine  Breeders' 
Record.     For   further   information   regarding    Canadian 
records,  see  under  Berkshires. 

TAMWORTH  SWINE.     Plate  XV. 
By  G.  E.  Day 

577.  Tamworth  swine  are  of  the  bacon  type,  and  as 
such  have  been  accorded  a  high  place  by  breeders.     They 
are  much  more  popular  in  Canada  than  in  the  United 
States. 

578.  History  in  England.  —  The  Tamworth  takes  its 
name  from  Tamworth,  in  Staffordshire,  England,  but  is 
also  to  be  found  in  adjoining  counties.     It  is  of  ancient 
and  uncertain  origin,  and  there  seems  to  be  no  well  authen- 
ticated account  of  where  it  came  from.     As  first  known, 
it  was  an  extremely  leggy,  narrow  type  of  hog,  but  it  has 
been   greatly   improved   during   the   past   thirty   years. 
Whether  this  improvement  was  wrought  solely  by  selec- 


456  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

tion,  or  whether  cross-breeding  was  resorted  to,  is  uncer- 
tain. Professor  Long  favors  the  theory  that  the  Tarn- 
worth  was  crossed  with  some  white  breed,  but  apparently 
no  proof  exists  as  to  the  correctness  or  incorrectness  of 
this  claim.  Although  it  is  one  of  the  oldest  English  breeds, 
it  was  not  given  a  separate  class  at  the  Royal  Agricultural 
Society's  Show  until  1885. 

579.  History  in  America.  —  Representatives  of  the 
Tamworth  breed  were  brought  to  the  United  States  nearly 
thirty  years  ago,  but  the  breed  does  not  make  rapid 
progress.  The  long  snout  tends  to  prejudice  the  average 
farmer,  and  the  fact  that  the  production  of  bacon  hogs 
receives  little  or  no  encouragement  in  the  United  States 
also  tends  to  work  against  the  general  adoption  of  the  breed. 

Like  the  Large  Yorkshire,  the  Tamworth  was  brought 
to  Canada  by  the  packers  about  1888,  with  a  view  to 
improving  the  bacon  qualities  of  Canadian  hogs,  and 
large  numbers  have  been  imported  by  Canadian  breeders 
during  the  past  twenty  years.  The  Tamworth  has  not 
attained  the  degree  of  popularity  in  Canada  that  is  en- 
joyed by  the  Yorkshire,  although  it  is  always  well  rep- 
resented at  the  leading  Canadian  fairs. 

680.  Description.  —  According  to  the  standard  of  ex 
lence  adopted  by  the  National  Pig  Breeders'  Association 
of  Great  Britain,  the  Tamworth  should  have  "  golden  red 
hair  on  a  flesh-colored  skin,  free  from  black."  However, 
the  shade  of  red  varies  considerably  in  individuals,  and  a 
chestnut  shade  is  very  common.  In  aged  animals,  it  is 
not  uncommon  to  see  such  a  dark  shade  of  chestnut  that 
the  casual  observer  might  mistake  it  for  a  dull  black. 
The  snout  is  long  and  straight,  and  the  ear  large,  and 
somewhat  more  pointed  than  the  Yorkshire  ear.  The 
ears  should  be  firmly  attached  to  the  head.  The  jowl  is 


rep- 

cel- 
hi  on 


THE  BACON  BREEDS   OF  SWINE  457 

narrower  and  lighter  than  that  of  the  Yorkshire,  the  neck 
and  shoulder  are  light,  the  back  and  loin  of  medium 
width,  and  the  side  of  good  length  and  only  moderately 
deep.  Deficiency  of  ham  is  a  common  weakness  of  the 
Tamworth.  Since  the  Tamworth  belongs  to  the  bacon 
type,  it  is  not  desirable  that  it  should  have  a  heavy,  fat 
ham  like  a  fat  hog ;  but  the  ham  is  often  lacking  seriously 
even  from  a  bacon  standpoint,  and  the  breeders  are  mak- 
ing an  effort  to  strengthen  this  point.  The  Tamworth  is 
a  large  hog,  strong  in  the  bone,  and  looks  leggy  beside  a 
hog  of  the  fat  type.  The  Tamworth  and  Large  Yorkshire 
are  similar  in  size,  and  are  the  two  leading  breeds  of  the 
bacon  type  (Plate  XV). 

581.  Uses  of  Tamworth  hogs.  —  The  Tamworth  is 
especially  adapted  to  the  production  of  bacon.  Its  light 
shoulder,  neck  and  head,  its  good  length  of  side,  and  its 
tendency  to  produce  a  large  proportion  of  lean  to  fat, 
render  it  well  suited  to  the  bacon  curer's  requirements. 
Being  a  large  breed,  and  strong  in  the  bone,  it  has  become 
popular  for  crossing  on  finer  and  fatter  breeds  in  districts 
where  it  is  well  known.  A  cross  between  the  Tamworth 
and  the  Berkshire  is  very  popular  in  Canada. 

As  to  early  maturity,  it  is  similar  to  the  Large  York- 
shire. For  producing  fat  carcasses  at  an  early  age,  it  is 
unsuitable,  as  this  is  not  the  purpose  for  which  it  is  bred. 
It  will  reach  suitable  weight  for  the  bacon  curer,  however, 
at  as  early  an  age  as  any  of  the  fat  breeds,  and  will  not 
carry  the  excessive  fat  which  renders  the  fat  breeds  un- 
suitable for  bacon  purposes.  For  bacon-production, 
therefore,  it  matures  early,  and  it  is  from  the  bacon  stand- 
point that  the  Tamworth  must  always  be  judged. 

There  is  a  popular  belief  among  farmers  that  the  Tam- 
worth does  not  make  economical  use  of  food.  A  good 


458  THE  BREEDS  OF  LIVE-STOCK 

deal  of  this  prejudice  is  due  to  the  appearance  of  the 
animal,  and  the  man  who  is  used  to  the  short,  thick,  fine- 
boned  type  of  hog,  finds  difficulty  in  reconciling  himself 
to  a  hog  of  Tarn  worth  type.  Experiments  show,  how- 
ever, that  the  Tamworth  is  capable  of  making  good  use 
of  the  food  it  consumes,  and  that  it  compares  very  favor- 
ably with  other  breeds  in  this  respect.  Like  the  York- 
shire, it  is  rather  better  adapted  to  pen  feeding  than  to 
pasture.  It  has  been  impossible  to  secure  much  informa- 
tion regarding  its  ability  to  stand  exclusive  corn-feeding. 
Available  information  indicates  that  the  breed  is  not  par- 
ticularly well  adapted  to  this  purpose. 

It  is  asserted  by  some  persons  that  Tamworths  produce 
higher  class  bacon  than  any  other  breed,  but  this  is  too 
sweeping  an  assertion,  and  when  they  have  come  together 
in  dressed-carcass  competitions,  the  Large  Yorkshire  has 
won  the  largest  share  of  prizes.  There  is  no  question, 
however,  that  the  Tamworth  produces  excellent  bacon, 
which  is  well  mixed  with  lean  of  fine  quality.  The  Large 
Yorkshire  and  Tamworth  are  the  only  strictly  bacon 
breeds  with  which  we  are  familiar  in  America. 

Tamworth  sows  are  prolific  and  are  good  mothers.  The 
boars  are  prepotent,  but  perhaps  scarcely  equal  to  the 
Large  Yorkshire  in  this  respect.  According  to  Shaw,  the 
Tamworth  as  compared  with  the  Chester-White  shows 
greater  adaptability,  is  more  active  as  a  grazer,  more 
hardy,  and  produces  a  superior  quality  of  bacon.  The 
Chester- White  is  heavier  at  maturity  and  ready  for  slaugh- 
ter at  an  earlier  age. 

582.  Distribution.  —  As  already  stated,  the  Tamworth 
has  not  made  rapid  progress  in  the  United  States,  although 
representatives  are  to  be  found  in  Illinois,  Kentucky, 
Iowa,  Kansas,  Texas,  Wisconsin  and  Ohio.  In  Canada, 


THE  BACON  BREEDS   OF  SWINE  459 

it  is  more  numerous  in  Ontario  than  in  any  other  province, 
but  it  is  to  be  found  in  practically  every  province.  Eng- 
land and  Canada  are  the  two  leading  countries  in  the 
production  of  this  breed. 

583.  Organizations  and  records.  —  The  American  Tarn- 
worth  Swine  Record  Association  was  organized  in  1897. 
The  first  volume  of  the  herd-book  was  published  in  1903. 
In  Canada,  Tamworths  are  recorded  in  the  Dominion 
Swine  Breeders'  Record. 

In  Great  Britain,  Tamworth  swine  are  recorded  in  the 
herd-book  of  the  National  Pig  Breeders'  Association. 


CHAPTER  XVIII 

LESSER  KNOWN  BREEDS  OF  SWINE 
By  G.  E.  Day 

584.  There  are  certain  little-known  breeds  or  types  of 
hogs  that  are  of  interest  historically,  or  in  restricted  areas. 
In  order  to  make  the  discussion  of  swine  in  this  book  more 
nearly  complete,  brief  notes  on  several  of  these  breeds  are 
introduced. 

585.  Historic  breeds.  —  It  is  an  old  opinion,  apparently 
well  substantiated,  that  the  English  swine,  from  which 
the  modern  American  types  are  derived,   sprang   from 
breeds  introduced  from  the  East,  as  Chinese,  Neapolitan 
and  Siamese  pigs.     Even  in  such  a  noted  live-stock  coun- 
try as  Great  Britain,  the  pigs  of  less  than  a  century  ago 
were,  on  the  whole,  a  rather  undesirable  lot,  according  to 
descriptions  that  have  been  handed  down  to  us.     Long 
legs,  general   coarseness   and  slow  fattening  propensities 
were  then  commonly  characteristic  of  British  breeds.     It 
is  out  of  the  question,  even  if  it  were  desirable,  to  attempt 
to  trace  all  the  steps  that  led  to  the  establishment  of 
British  breeds  as  we  know  them  to-day,  but  there  is  no 
doubt  that  much  of  the  improvement  came  from  the  in- 
troduction of  foreign  breeds,  which  were  crossed  on  the 
native   stock.     Although  these   foreign   breeds   are   now 
practically  unknown  in  Great  Britain  and  America,  there 
are  three  breeds  whose  influence  has  been  so  far-reaching 
as  to  render  them  worthy  of  at  least  a  passing  notice. 

460 


LESSER  KNOWN  BREEDS  OF  SWINE  461 

The  introduction  into  England  of  these  Chinese,  Nea- 
politan and  Siamese  pigs  wrought  a  revolution  among  the 
earlier  types  of  swine,  and  the  crossing  and  inter-crossing 
of  various  types,  which  followed  the  introduction  of  foreign 
blood,  and  which  is  too  intricate  and  too  little  known  to 
admit  of  complete  investigation,  resulted  eventually  hi  the 
English  breeds  of  the  present  day. 

Chinese,  Neapolitan  and  Siamese  swine  were  also  im- 
ported into  the  United  States.  The  great  bulk  of  Ameri- 
can foundation  stock  came  from  Great  Britain,  especially 
England,  and  as  was  the  case  in  England,  the  use  of 
Chinese,  Neapolitan  and  other  similar  blood,  followed  by 
the  crossing  of  various  local  types,  has  led  to  the  establish- 
ment of  what  are  known  as  American  breeds. 

586.  Chinese  swine.  —  Youatt  writes  of  these  swine  as 
follows :  "  There  are  two  distinct  varieties,  the  white  and 
the  black ;  both  fatten  readily,  but  from  their  diminutive 
size  attain  no  great  weight.  They  are  small  in  limb, 
round  in  body,  short  in  the  head,  wide  in  the  cheek,  and 
high  in  the  chine ;  covered  with  very  fine  bristles  growing 
from  an  exceedingly  thin  skin;  and  not  peculiarly  sym- 
metrical, for,  when  fat,  the  head  is  so  buried  in  the  neck 
that  little  more  than  the  tip  of  the  snout  is  visible.  The 
pure  Chinese  hog  is  too  delicate  and  susceptible  to  cold 
ever  to  become  a  really  profitable  animal  in  this  country 
(England) ;  it  is  difficult  to  rear,  and  the  sows  are  not 
good  nurses,  but  one  or  two  judicious  crosses  have  in  a 
manner  naturalized  it.  ...  Many  valuable  crosses  have 
been  made  with  these  animals ;  for  the  prevalent  fault  of 
the  old  English  breeds  having  been  coarseness  of  flesh, 
unwieldiness  of  form,  and  want  of  aptitude  to  fatten,  an 
admixture  of  the  Chinese  breed  has  materially  corrected 
these  defects."  Youatt 's  description  is  so  clear  that  it 


462  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

requires  no  explanation,  and  it  is  easy  to  understand  how 
this  extremely  fine  hog  would  help  to  correct  the  faults  of 
the  coarse  English  pigs. 

587.  Neapolitan  swine.  —  This  breed  came  from  the 
country  about  Naples  in  Italy,  and  was  also  of  the  ex- 
tremely fine-boned,  easily  fattened  type.     It  is  especially 
noted  for  the  part  it  played  in  the  formation  of  what  is 
now  known  as  the  Essex  breed,  although  other  breeds 
were  influenced,  either  directly  or  indirectly,  by  the  blood 
of  this  remarkably  quick-maturing  breed. 

588.  Siamese  swine.  —  A.  B.  Allen,  who  bred  Siamese 
swine  many  years  ago,  describes  them  in  part  as  follows : 
"  They  varied  in  color  from  deep,  rich  plum  to  dark  slate 
and  black ;  had  two  to  three  white  feet,  but  no  white  on 
the  legs  or  other  parts  of  the  body.    The  head  was  short 
and  fine,  with  a  dished  face  and  rather  thin  jowl;    ears 
short,  slender    and   erect;    shoulders  and  hams  round, 
smooth  and  extra  large ;  back  broad  and  slightly  arched ; 
body  of  moderate  length,  deep,  well  ribbed  up  and  nearly 
as  round  as  a  barrel ;  .  .  .  legs  fine  and  short ;  hair  soft, 
silky   and   thin;    no  bristles,  even  on  boars;  .  .  .  flesh 
firm,  sweet  and  very  tender,  with  less  lean  than  in  the 
Berkshire." 

589.  Large  Black  swine.  —  The  Large  Black,  as  its 
name  implies,  is  a  large  breed,  all  black  in  color,  and 
possessing  very  large  drooping  ears.     In  general  confor- 
mation it  approaches  the  bacon  type,  having  a  good  length 
of  side,  medium  width  of  back  and  shoulder,  a  rather  light 
neck  and  jowl,  and  fairly  heavy  bone. 

The  origin  of  the  breed  is  not  well  known,  but  it  has 
been  bred  for  a  great  many  years  in  the  east  and  south  of 
England.  It  is  hardly  known  outside  of  England,  and  is 
not  widely  distributed  even  in  England,  being  confined 


LESSEE  KNOWN  BREEDS  OF  SWINE  463 

mainly  to  the  southern  part  of  the  country.  Some  years 
ago,  representatives  of  the  breed  were  brought  to  the 
Central  Experimental  Farm,  Ottawa,  Canada,  but  did 
not  prove  very  satisfactory.  At  present,  the  breed  is 
practically  not  represented  on  the  American  continent. 

The  main  claims  for  the  Large  Black  are  its  bacon 
qualities,  its  fecundity  and  its  value  as  a  scavenger.  Its 
bacon  is  highly  esteemed  in  England,  containing,  as  it 
does,  a  large  percentage  of  lean.  It  is  worthy  of  note, 
however,  that  at  Ottawa  the  bacon  of  the  Large  Black 
was  not  equal  to  that  of  the  Large  Yorkshire  or  the  Tarn- 
worth.  The  sows  are  excellent  nurses,  and  the  breed  is 
regarded  as  a  first-class  farmer's  breed  in  England. 

The  interests  of  the  breed  in  England  are  looked  after 
by  "The  Large  Black  Pig  Society  of  Great  Britain." 
This  organization  publishes  the  only  herd-book  for  the 
breed. 

590.   Middle  White  or  Middle  Yorkshire  swine  (Plate 
XVI.     Fig.  98).  —The  Middle  White,  as  the  name  im- 
plies, is  intermediate  in  type 
between    the    Large  White 
and  the  Small  White.     It  is 
recognized  in  England  as  a 
distinct   breed,  but  it  is  a 
difficult  breed  to  describe, 
because    of    its    variations. 
Some  representatives  of  the      Fm  98._Middle  white  boar. 
breed  might  easily  pass  as 

Large  Whites,  and  from  this  extreme  they  shade  down 
nearly  all  the  way  to  the  Small  White  type.  There  is 
little  doubt  that  many  so-called  Large  White  pigs  carry 
some  Middle  White  blood,  and  that  many  Middle  Whites, 
or  pigs  containing  a  large  percentage  of  Middle  White 


464  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

blood,  have  been  brought  to  America  and  passed  as  Large 
Whites.  Generally  speaking,  they  are  smaller  than  the 
Large  Whites,  have  a  shorter  side,  shorter  leg,  finer  bone 
and  a  heavier  neck  and  jowl.  They  usually  have  a  shorter 
snout  than  the  Large  White,  and  have  more  dish  in  snout 
and  face.  They  belong  to  the  fat  type  of  hog. 

The  Middle  White  originated  from  a  cross  between  the 
Large  White  and  the  Small  White  breeds.  Even  at  present, 
pigs  may  appear  in  Large  White  litters  that  are  classed  by 
their  breeders  as  Middle  Whites,  so  that  it  sometimes 
happens  that  Large  Whites  and  Middle  Whites  may  come 
from  the  same  litter,  especially  in  those  herds  in  which 
Middle  White  blood  is  occasionally  used  to  refine  the  Large 
White.  Sometimes  Middle  Whites  are  produced  by  one 
cross  of  Small  Whites  on  Large  Whites,  and  animals  pro- 
duced in  this  way  should  scarcely  be  regarded  as  a  distinct 
breed. 

The  Middle  White  is  unknown  outside  of  its  native 
country,  and  if  any  have  been  brought  to  America,  they 
were  introduced  under  the  name  of  Large  Yorkshire. 

The  utility  of  the  Middle  White  is  necessarily  limited. 
The  practice  of  crossing,  followed  by  many  breeders,  has 
told  against  the  usefulness  of  the  breed.  Middle  Whites 
which  have  been  bred  pure  for  a  number  of  generations 
would  no  doubt  prove  satisfactory,  but  so  many  of  them 
possess  recent  crosses  of  other  blood,  that  the  breed  as  a 
whole  lacks  prepotency  and  trueness  to  type.  The  mix- 
ing of  Middle  White  blood  with  that  of  Large  White,  as 
practiced  by  many  English  breeders,  cannot  be  too 
strongly  condemned.  A  so-called  Large  Yorkshire  boar 
produced  in  this  way  may  look  more  attractive  to  the  in- 
experienced breeder  of  Large  Yorkshires  than  a  pure  Large 
Yorkshire,  but  he  makes  a  very  unsatisfactory  sire. 


LESSER  KNOWN  BREEDS   OF  SWINE  465 

Breeders  of  Large  Yorkshires  soon  learn  to  avoid  boars 
showing  any  evidence  of  Middle  White  blood. 

591.  Lincolnshire  Curly-coated  swine.  —  This  breed 
takes  its  name  from  Lincolnshire,  in  England,  where  it  has 
been  bred  for  many  years.  Though  an  old  breed,  it  did 
not  receive  recognition  until  within  comparatively  recent 
years.  It  has  now  a  herd-book  society  of  its  own,  and 


FIG.  99.  —  Razor-back  sow  with  litter. 

is  the  most  recent  addition  to  the  recognized  pure  breeds 
of  swine  in  Great  Britain. 

The  Lincolnshire  Curly-coated  is  a  large  white  breed, 
with  curly  hair,  and  long  thin  ears  which  cover  the  eyes 
and  snout.  It  is  claimed  for  these  pigs  that  they  are 
hardy,  thrifty,  quick  growers,  and  that  the  sows  are  prolific, 
and  good  milkers. 

As  yet,  they  are  not  much  known  outside  of  their  native 
county. 

592.  Razorback  swine  (Fig.  99).  — Whether  it  is 
strictly  correct  to  call  the  "  Razorback  "  a  distinct  breed 
may  be  open  to  question,  but  since  it  represents  a  type  of 
hog  existing  in  some  parts  of  the  United  States,  it  should 
receive  passing  notice. 

The  "  Razorback  "  is  characterized  by  long,  coarse  legs 
and  snout;  coarse  ears,  coarse  skin  and  a  bristly  coat; 
narrow  back,  slab  sides,  no  hams  worth  mentioning,  and 
2H 


466  THE  BREEDS   OF  LIVE-STOCK 

an  absence  of  any  tendency  to  fatten.  In  spite  of  its  un- 
desirable qualities,  it  is  more  or  less  amenable  to  improve- 
ment, and  some  of  the  finer  breeds,  notably  the  Essex, 
have  been  crossed  on  it  with  a  fair  degree  of  success.  Its 
hardiness  and  its  ability  to  look  after  itself  are  its  main 
recommendations. 

There  is  little  doubt  that  the  "  Razorback  "  is  a  de- 
generate descendant  of  pigs  brought  into  the  country  by 
the  earliest  white  settlers.  Hunger,  exposure  and  the 
necessity  for  looking  after  itself  and  foraging  its  own  living 
have  been  the  chief  factors  in  evolving  the  type. 

The  "  Razorback  "  is  now  found  almost  exclusively  in 
a  comparatively  limited  area  of  the  South,  and  this  area 
is  becoming  more  and  more  restricted  as  improved  agri- 
culture advances.  It  is  only  a  question  of  time  until  the 
type  entirely  disappears. 


INDEX 


Abdallah  Horse,  81,  88. 

Aberdeen,  89,  92. 

Aberdeen  Angus  Cattle,  199,  234- 
242. 

Abeyan,  140. 

Achilles,  48. 

Adams,  Seth,  363. 

Administration  des  Haras,  58. 

Adney,  Geo.,  335. 

Advanced  Register 
of  Guernseys,  276. 
of  Holsteins,  280. 

^Emulus,  59. 

Airdrie,  208. 

Aiton,  Mr.,  quoted,  292. 

Albion,  205. 

Alderney  Cattle,  255. 

Aldrich,  D.  G.,  301. 

Alexander,  A.  J.,  208. 

Alexander,  Dr.,  quoted,  38. 

Allen,  A.  B.,  416,  462. 

Allen,  Lewis  F.(  218. 

Alvord,  H.  E.,  quoted,  215. 

American  Aberdeen  Angus  Breed- 
ers' Association,  241. 

American  Angora  Goat  Breeders' 
Association,  400. 

American  Association  of  Importers 
and  Breeders  of  Belgian  Draft 
Horses,  25. 

American  Association  of  Jacks  and 
Jennets,  189. 

American  Ayrshire  Breeders'  As- 
sociation, 299. 

American  Berkshire  Association, 
420. 

American  Breeders'  and  Importers' 
Percheron  Registry,  15. 

American  Brown  Swiss  Cattle 
Breeders'  Association,  303. 


American  Cheviot  Sheep  Society, 
350. 

American  Clydesdale  Horse  As- 
sociation, 34. 

American  Cotswold  Sheep  Associa- 
tion, 361. 

American  Delaine  Merino  Record 
Association,  372,  376. 

American  Devon  Cattle  Club, 
322. 

American  Dorset-Horn  Sheep 
Breeders'  Association,  348. 

American  Duroc-Jersey  Swine 
Breeders'  Association,  430. 

American   Essex  Association,   445. 

American  Galloway  Breeders'  As- 
sociation, 250. 

American  Girl,  130. 

American  Guernsey  Cattle  Club, 
277. 

American  Hackney  Horse  Society, 
57. 

American  Hampshire  Swine  Record 
Association,  438. 

American  Hereford  Cattle  Breeders' 
Association,  231. 

American  Horses,  84,  113. 

American  Jersey  Cattle  Club,  256, 
263,  268. 

American  Jockey  Club,  122. 

American  Leicester  Breeders'  As- 
sociation, 355. 

American  Merino,  327,  369-372. 

American  Milch  Goat  Record 
Association,  411. 

American  Oxford  Down  Record 
Association,  339. 

American  Percheron  Horse  Breed- 
ers' and  Importers'  Associa- 
tion, 15. 


467 


468 


INDEX 


American  Poland  China  Record 
Association,  425. 

American  Polled  Durham  Breed- 
ers' Association,  221. 

American  Polled  Hereford  Cattle 
Club,  234. 

American  Ponies,  163-166. 

American  Rambouillet  Sheep 
Breeders'  Association,  380. 

American  Royal  Live-Stock  Show, 
226. 

American  Saddle  Horse,  6,  122-134. 

American  Saddle  Horse  Breeders' 
Association,  124,  134. 

American  Shetland  Pony  Club, 
169,  171. 

American  Shire  Horse  Association, 
39. 

American  Shorthorn  Breeders'  As- 
sociation, 218. 

American  Shropshire  Sheep  As- 
sociation, 336. 

American  Small  Yorkshire  Club, 
449. 

American  Southdown  Breeders'  As- 
sociation, 333. 

American  Standardbred,  6,  46, 
47,  59,  79-105. 

American  Star,  92. 

American  Stud-book  for  Thorough- 
breds, 121. 

American  Suffolk  Association,  447. 

American  Suffolk  Flock  Registry 
Association,  345. 

American  Suffolk  Horse  Associa- 
tion, 43. 

American  Sussex  Cattle  Associa- 
tion, 254. 

American  Tamworth  Swine  Record 
Association,  459. 

American  Times  Sheep  Breeders' 
Association,'  388. 

American  Trotting  Register,  86, 
94,  96. 

American  Welsh  Pony  and  Cob 
Society,  173. 

American  Yorkshire  Club,  455. 

Anazeh  tribe,  134. 

Andalusian  Jack,  186. 


Anderegg,  quoted,  410. 

Anderson  and  Findlay,  237. 

Andrew  Jackson,  85,  90. 

Andrew,  J.  T.,  338. 

Angora  Goats,  390-401. 

Appenzeller  Goat,  White,  406. 

Appleby,  J.  C.,  159. 

Arab  Horse,  6,  46,  80,  110,  134- 
144. 

Arab  Horse  Club,  144. 

Arabella,    206. 

Aratus,  123. 

Ardennais  Horse,  9,  18. 

Armstrong,  J.  M.,  211. 

Association  of  American  Agri- 
cultural Colleges  and  Experi- 
ment Stations,  363. 

Australian  Trustee,  84. 

Aylmer,  Hugh,  359. 

Ayrshire  Cattle,  199,  291-300. 

Baby  Beef,  230. 

Bacon  Breeds  of  Swine,  414,  450- 

459. 

Bacon  Type  of  Swine,  450. 
Bailey,  C.  P.,  392. 
Baker,  Mr.,  203. 

Bakewell,  Robert,  35,  223,  329,  351. 
Bald  Stockings,  76,  125. 
Barbadoes  Sheep,  381. 
Barb  House,  6,  110,  144,  148. 
Barb,  Godolphin,  80,  111. 
Barker,  Richard  and  William,  203. 
Barmpton,  202. 
Barnard  Morgan,  91. 
Barnum,  P.  T.,  305. 
Baron  o'  Buchlyvie,  28. 
Baron's  Pride,  28. 
Barren,  Commodore,  387. 
Bars  I,  106. 
Bartlett's  Childris,  80. 
Barton,  E.  M.,  301. 
Bashaws,  The,  85,  90. 
Bates,  Thomas,  203. 
Battledor,  163. 
Beall,  C.  H.,  374. 
Beanes,  Captain,  352. 
Beattie,  Simon,  210. 
Beautiful  Bells,  90. 


INDEX 


469 


Beauty,  132. 

Beef  Breeds  of  Cattle,  201-254. 

Aberdeen  Angus,  199,  224-242. 

Galloway,  199,  242-250. 

Herefords,  199,  222-224. 

Polled  Durham,  199,  210-219. 

Shorthorns,  199,  201-219. 

Sussex,  199,  250-254. 
Beef  Type  of  Cattle,  199-201. 
Belgian  Horse,  6,  21-25. 
Belindas,    205. 
Bell  Duke  of  Airdrie,  208. 
Belvedere  Bull,  204. 
Bement,  C.  N.,  330. 
Berkshire  Swine,  415-421. 
Berry,  Wm.,  374. 
Berthune,    124. 
Bertus,  66. 
Best,  Mr.,  203. 
Betsey  Harrison,  123,  124. 
Big  China  Swine,  421. 
Billings,  C.  K.  G.,  107. 
Bishop's  Hambletonian,  47,  81. 
Black  Bess,  59. 
Blackburn's  Whip,    124. 
Black  Eagle,  126. 
Black-face  Highland  Sheep,  382. 
Black,  George,  374. 
Black  Hawk,  91,  125. 
Black-necked  Valaisan  Goat,  406. 
Black  Squirrel,  126. 
Blacktop    Spanish    Merino    Sheep, 

374. 

Blaze,  47,  80,  111. 
Bloody  Buttocks,  90. 
Blue  Bull,  99,  100. 
Blue  Grays,  217,  249. 
Blundeville,  Thomas,  110. 

Blossom,  204. 
Boethius,  Hector,  382. 
Bonnie  Buchlyvie,  28. 
Bonnie  Scotland,  84. 
Booth,  204. 

James,  50. 

John,  205. 

Richard,  205. 

Thomas,  205. 
Boston,  114. 
Boulonnais  Horse,  9,  17. 


Bourbon  Chief,  126. 
Bowditch,  E.  F.,  346. 
Bracelet,  205. 
Bradley,  Peter  B.,  135. 
Brahmin  Cattle,  325. 
Breed  Associations,  1. 
Breeders,  3. 

Ideals  of,  3. 
Breeding 

Breed  Characters,  3. 

Cross-breeding,  2. 

Live-Stock  Association,  231. 

Pure-bred  live-stock,  2. 
Breeds 

Cattle,  199-325. 

Choice  of,  2. 

Classification,  3,  6,  199,  325,  414. 

Distinctive  Characters  of,  3. 

Goats,  390-414. 

Grade  of,  1,  2. 

Horses,  6-198. 

Predominating,  1. 

Sheep,  325-390. 

Study  of,  1,  2,  3. 

Swine,  414-465. 

Utility  Basis,  3. 
Brentnall,  John,  416. 
Breton  Horse,  9,  17,  20. 
Brienz,  302. 
Briggs,  H.  A.,  23. 
Bright  Eyes,  204. 
British  Ponies,  166-178. 
Bronco,  164. 
Broughton  Faily,  205. 
Brown  Bessie,  215. 
Brown,  E.  A.,  294. 
Brown,  George,  211. 
Brown  Hal,  102. 
Brownlow  Turk,  47. 
Brown,  Mr.,  203. 

Brown  Swiss  Cattle,  199,  300-303. 
Buchanan,  Geo.,  quoted,  243. 
Bulle  Rock,  114. 
Bullock  Horse,  83. 
Bullrush  Morgan,  85,  91. 
Burleigh,  J.  F.  and  A.  E.,  219. 
Burma  Pony,  179. 
Byerly  Turk,  80,  90,  111. 
Byfield  Swine,  421. 


470 


INDEX 


Cabell's  Lexington,  124. 

Cadet,  48. 

Campbell,  Mr.,  211. 

Canada  Chief,  124. 

Carmichael,  T.  J.,  349. 

Cannon,  91,  96. 

Cassius  M.  Clay,  90. 

Caswell,  J.  E.,  356. 

Catalonian  Jack,  186. 

Cattle,  Breeds  of,  199-325. 

Cecil,  Arthur,  174. 

Cecil  Palmer,  126. 

Cedric,  28. 

Celtic  Pony,  178. 

Centennial  Exposition  of  Hereford, 
226. 

Champion,  48. 

Champion  of  England,  205. 

Charge,  Mr.,  203. 

Charles  I,  110. 

Charles  II,  110. 

Charles  Kent,  47,  81. 

Chaucer,  quoted,  45. 

Chenery,  Winthrop  W.,  280. 

Cheshire  Swine,  439-440. 

Cheshire  Swine  Breeders'  Associa- 
tion, 440. 

Chester  Dare,  126. 

Chester  White  Swine,  430-434. 

Chester  White  Swine  Record  As- 
sociation, 435. 

Cheviot  Sheep,  327,  348-351. 

Chincoteague  Pony,   166. 

Chinese  Swine,  416,  461. 

Christobel,  210. 

Clark  Chief,  90. 

Clark,  Henry  M.,  301. 

Clay  Family,  83,  85,  90. 

Clay,  Henry,  115. 

Clay  Pilot,  90. 

Clear  Grit,  99. 

Cleveland  Bay  Horse,  6,  71, 
78. 

Cleveland  Bay  Horse  Society  of 
America,  78. 

Clift,  L.  D.,  356. 

Clydesdale  Horse,  6,  25-34. 

Coates  Herd-book,  218. 

Coburn,  F.  D.,  416,  440. 


Cochrane,  M.  FL,  210. 

Cochrane,  Senator,  50. 

Cockspur,    124. 

Codman,  J.  A.,  220. 

Coffin,  Mr.,  206. 

Coleman,  Robert  W.,  305. 

Coleman's  Eureka,  124. 

Colling  Brothers,  202. 

Collum,  Wm.,  211. 

Columbuses,  The,  84. 

Combination,  263. 

Comet,  202. 

Compton,  J.  L.  G.,  359. 

Confidence,  48. 

Connemara  Pony,  167,  178. 

Constance,  208. 

Coolidge,  Cornelius,  206. 

Cooper,  T.  S.,  346. 

Copeland,    131. 

Copper  Bottoms,  84,  99,  100. 

Corbeau,    99. 

Corning,  Erastus,  359. 

Cortez,    113. 

Cotswold  Sheep,  327,  358-361. 

Couture,  J.  A.,  312. 

Cow  ponies,  96. 

Cox,  Mr.,  206. 

Crane,  Wm.  W.,  219. 

Creole  Pony,  166. 

Cresceus,  93. 

Crisp  Horse,  40. 

Crocker,  Daniel,  159. 

Cross  Breeding,  2. 

Arab  Horse,  134,  142. 

Essex  Swine,  444. 

Galloway,    248. 

Leicester  Sheep,  354. 

Nivernais,  21. 

Percheron,  21. 

Shorthorn,  216. 

Thoroughbred,  119. 
Crouch,  J.  and  Son,  23,  66. 
Crown  Prince,  205. 
Cruickshank,  Amos,  212. 
Culley,  Geo.,  72,  353. 
Cully,  quoted,  45. 
Curtis,  F.  D.,  441. 
Curwen's  Bay  Barb,  90. 
Gushing,  John  P.,  294. 


INDEX 


471 


Dairy  Breeds  of  Cattle,  255-313. 

Ayrshire,  199,  291-308. 

Brown  Swiss,  199,  300-304. 

Dutch  Belted,  199,  304-308. 

French-Canadian,   199,  308-313. 

Guernsey,  199,  269-278. 

Holstein-Friesian,    199,  278-291. 

Jersey,  199,  255-269. 
Dairy  Maids  Family,  205. 
Dairy  Type  of  Cattle,  199,  255. 
Dakhman  Family,  141. 
Danegelt,  48. 
Daniel  Boone,  99. 
Daniel  Lambert,  91. 
Dan  Patch,  82,  103. 
Dare,  Chester,  126. 
Darley  Arabian,  47,  80,  111. 
Darnley,  27. 

Dartmoor  Pony,  167,  173. 
Dave  Akin,  132. 
Davenport,  Samuel,  123. 
Davidson,  Jas.  I.,  210. 
Davis,  Geo.  F.,  441. 
Davis,  James  B.,  391. 
Davy  Crockett,  99,  124. 
Davy,  J.  T.,  320. 
Delaine-Merino   Sheep,   327,   372- 

376. 

Demi-sang,  16,  57. 
Denmark,  48,  50,  120,  123,  124. 
Denning,  Allen,  91. 
Derby,  112. 
De  Soto,  113. 

Devon  Cattle,  199,  319-322. 
Dexter,  85,  92. 
Dexter-Kerry  Cattle,  324. 
Dick  Taylor,  209. 
Dickinson  Delaine,  372. 
Dickinson,  Wm.  R.,  373. 
Dictator,  83,  89. 
Dillon,  Mr.,  10. 
Diomed,  112,  114,  125. 
Direct,  103. 
Direct  Hal,  103. 
Dishley  Sheep,  352. 
Dobinson,  Mr.,  203. 
Dominor,  126. 
Dorothy,  131. 
Dorset-Horn  Sheep,  327,  345-348. 


Double-Standard    Polled    Durham 

Cattle,  220. 
Double-Standard    Polled   Hereford 

Cattle,  232. 

Doyle,  Martin,  quoted,  71. 
Draft  Breeds  of  Horses,  64. 
Belgian,  6,  21-25. 
Clydesdale,  6,  25-34. 
French  Draft,  6,  16-21. 
Percheron,  6,  7-16. 
Shire,  6,  34-39. 
Suffolk,  6,  39-43. 
Draft  Type  of  Horses,  7. 
Dr.  Buckingham,  208. 
Drennon,  99. 
Driver,  47,  48,  81. 
Druce,  Samuel,  337. 
Dryden,  Jno.,  210. 
Dual    Purpose    Breeds    of    Cattle, 

313-323. 
Dual  Purpose  Type  of  Cattle,  199, 

313. 

Duchess,  203. 
Duchess  Airdrie,  208. 
Duchess  Athol,  208. 
Duchess  of  Geneva  VIII,  211. 
Dudding,  Henry,  356. 
Duke  of  Airdrie,  208. 
Duke  of  Athol,  2d,  208. 
Duke  of  Northumberland,  204. 
Duncan's  Duke  of  Airdrie,  208. 
Dunham,  M.  W.,  10,  62. 
Dunham  and  Fletcher,  23. 
Dunn,  Christopher,  359. 
Dunn,  Walter,  206. 
Dunsley's  Dart,  72. 
Durham  Ox,  202. 
Duroc  Jersey  Swine,  426-430. 
Duroc  Swine,  427. 
Dutch  Belted  Cattle,  199,  304-308. 
Dutch  Belted  Cattle  Association  of 

America,    308. 
Dutch-Friesian     Cattle     Breeders' 

Association,  280. 

East  Friesian  Cattle,  279. 
East  Friesland  Horse,  69. 
East  Prussian  Horse,  67. 
Eaton,  Wm.,  387. 


472 


INDEX 


Eclipse,  80,  111. 

Egbert,  89. 

Eldredge,  J.  B.,  301. 

Electioneer,  88. 

Elliott,  J.  D.,  135. 

Ellis,  quoted,  356. 

Ellman,  John,  329. 

Emily,  131. 

Engineer,  47,  78. 

English    Cart    Horse    Society,    35, 

39. 
English    Hackney    Horse    Society, 

57. 

Equity,  208. 
Essex  Swine,  442-445. 
Estantes,  363. 
Ethan  Allen,  85,  91. 
Ethel  Downs,  91. 
Eugenia,  130. 
Euren,    H.    F.,     quoted,    44,    49, 

313. 

Euto,  66. 
Exmoor  Pony,  167,  173. 

Falle,  Philip,  quoted,  257. 

Fancy,  90. 

Farewells,  205. 

Favorite,  202. 

Ferejan  Family,  141. 

Filho-de-Puta,  123. 

Filigree,  208. 

Finderne  Holingen   Fayne,   284. 

Finderne  Pride  Johanna  Rue,  284. 

Fireaways,  47. 

First  Consul,  90. 

Flamande  Cattle,  279. 

Flashwood,  37. 

Flemish  Cattle,  279. 

Flock  Records 

American  Cheviot  Sheep  Society, 
350. 

American    Cotswold    Sheep    As- 
sociation, 361. 

American  Delaine  Merino  Record 
Association,  372,  376. 

American     Dorset-Horn     Sheep 
Breeders'    Association,    348. 

American  Leicester  Breeders'  As- 
sociation, 355. 


American  Oxford  Down  Record 

Association,  339. 
American      Rambouillet     Sheep 

Breeders'  Association,  380. 
American  Shropshire  Sheep  As- 
sociation, 336. 
American   Southdown   Breeders' 

Association,  333. 
American  Suffolk  Flock  Registry 

Association,  345. 
Cheviot  Sheep  Society  of  Great 

Britain,  350. 

Continental    Dorset    Club,    348. 
Cotswold  Sheep  Society  of  Eng- 
land, 361. 
Dorset-Horn      Sheep     Breeders' 

Society  of  England,  348. 
English         Shropshire         Sheep 

Society,  336. 

Hampshire  Down  Sheep  Breed- 
ers' Association,  342. 
Leicester        Sheep        Breeders' 

Society,  355. 

Lincoln  Long- Wool  Sheep  Breed- 
ers' Association,  358. 
National   Lincoln   Sheep   Breed- 
ers'   Association    of    America, 
358. 
Oxford    Down    Sheep    Breeders' 

Association,  340. 
Society  of  Border  Leicester  Sheep 

Breeders,  355. 

Southdown  Sheep  Society,  333. 
Suffolk    Down    Sheep     Society, 

345. 

Flora  Temple,  85. 
Flying  Childers,  47,  80. 
Fordham,  50. 
Forshay,  C.  G.,  338. 
Franco-Merino  Sheep,  378. 
French  Canadian  Cattle,  199,  308- 

312. 
French  Canadian  Cattle  Breeders' 

Association,  311. 
French  Canadian  Pacer,  98. 
French  Coach  Horse,  6,  57-64. 
French    Coach    Horse    Society    of 

America,  64. 
French  Draft  Horse,  6,  16-17. 


INDEX 


473 


French  Jockey  Club,  63. 
French  Merino  Sheep,  377. 
Fuchsia,    59. 

Fullington  and  Martin,  10. 
Furgeson,  Adam,  210. 

Games'  Denmark,  124,  132. 

Gaits  (Saddle),  127-130. 

Galbraith  Bros.,  40. 

Gallipoli,  147. 

Galloway  Cattle,    199,   242-250. 

Galloway  Pony,  177. 

Garrard,   quoted,   257. 

Gates,  General,  91. 

Gaudy  Family,  205. 

George  M.  Patchen,  85,  90. 

George  Wilkes,  85,  88. 

German   Coach  Horse,   6,   16,  64- 

71. 

German  Hanoverian  and  Oldenburg 
Coach  Horse  Association  of 
America,  70. 

Gilbey,  Sir  Walter,  116,  159. 
Gillett,  Wm.,  337. 
Gillispie,  Rev.  Jno.,  244. 
Glencoe,  84. 

Glorious  Thunder  Cloud,  96. 
Goat  Record  Associations,  400-411. 

American  Angora  Goat  Breeders' 
Association,  400. 

American    Milch    Goat    Record 

Association,  411. 
Goats,  Breeds,  390-414. 
Goats,  Types  of,  390-413. 

Angora,  390. 

Milch,  401. 

Godolphin   Arabian,  90. 
Godolphin  Barb,  80,  111,  147. 
Golddust,  91. 
Goldsmith  Maid,  86,  89. 
Gough,  Mr.,  206. 
Graham  Bros.,  244. 
Grand  Bashaw,  85,  90,  145. 
Green,  Francis,  211. 
Green  Mountain  Maid,  83,  90. 
Green's  Bashaw,  85. 
Grey  Clyde,  30. 
Grey  Grantham,  47. 
Griggs,  Money,  314. 


Guernsey  Cattle,  199,  269-278. 
Guy,    92. 
Gwynne,  220. 

Hackney  Horse,  44-57. 

Hackney  Pony,  6,  167,  176,  177. 

Hadban,  140. 

Haight,  D.  H.,  305. 

Haines,  Reuben,  270. 

Halcorn  Horse,  125. 

Hal  Dillard,  103. 

Haleb,  146. 

Hall,  D.,  301. 

Hall,  Mr.,  203. 

Hals,  The,  99. 

Hambletonian,  10,  47,  81,  88. 

Hamdani,  140. 

Hampshire-Down  Sheep,  327,  340- 

342. 
Hampshire  Down  Sheep  Breeders' 

Association,  342. 
Hampshire  Swine,  436-438. 
Hand,  General,  387. 
Hannibal,  66. 
Hanoverian  Horses,  68. 
Happy  Medium,  83,  89. 
Harold,  89. 
Harriet,  207. 
Harris,  Edward,  10. 
Harris,  John  S.,  392. 
Harris,  W.  H.,  212. 
Harrison  Chief,  132. 
Harry  Clay,  90. 
Haskins,  Joseph,  431. 
Hawes,  Sidney,  330. 
Hayes,  Captain,  quoted,  149. 
Heasman,  Alfred,  quoted,  250. 
Heaton,  Mr.,  206. 
Heavy  Harness  Breeds  of  Horses, 
6,  44-78. 

Cleveland  Bay,  6,  71-78. 

French  Coach,  6,  57-64. 

German  Coach,  6,  64-71. 

Hackney,  6,  44-57. 
Heavy   Harness   Type   of   Horses, 

44. 

Heber,  Reginald,  80. 
Hengerveld,  Prof.,  quoted,  283. 
Henry  Clay,  83,  85. 


474 


INDEX 


Henry  VIII,  110. 
Herd-books 

American  Aberdeen-Angus 

Breeder's   Association,    241. 

American      Ayrshire      Breeders' 
Association,  299. 

American    Brown    Swiss    Cattle 
Breeders'    Association,    303. 

American    Devon    Cattle    Club, 
322. 

American      Galloway   Breeders' 
Association,  250. 

American  Guernsey  Cattle  Club, 
277. 

American  Hereford  Record,  231. 

American    Jersey    Cattle    Club, 
256,  263,  268. 

American  Polled  Durham  Herd- 
book,  221. 

American  Polled  Hereford  Cattle 
Club,  234. 

American    Shorthorn    Breeders' 
Association,  218. 

American  Sussex  Cattle  Associa- 
tion, 254. 

Coates  Herd-book,   218. 

Dominion     Galloway     Register, 
250. 

Dominion  Herd-book,  219. 

Dutch  Belted  Cattle  Association 
of  America,  308. 

English   Guernsey   Cattle   Club, 
277. 

English        Sussex        Herd-book 
Society,  254. 

French-Canadian    Cattle  Breed- 
ers' Association,  312. 

Hereford  Herd-book  of  England, 
232. 

Holstein-Friesian  Association  of 
America,  289. 

National  Polled  Hereford  Breed- 
ers' Association,  234. 

Motherland   Herd-book  Associa- 
tion, 289. 

North  American  Galloway  Herd- 
book,  250. 

Polled  Cattle  Society  of  Scotland, 
241. 


Red-Polled  Cattle  Club  of  Amer- 
ica, 318. 

Royal  Guernsey  Agricultural  and 
Horticultural  Society,  277. 

Royal    Jersey   Agricultural    and 
Horticultural  Society,  258,  268. 

Shorthorn  Society  of  the  United 
Kingdom  of  Great  Britain  and 
Ireland,  218. 
Herdwick  Sheep,  383. 
Hereford  Cattle,  199,  222-234. 
Herod,  81,  91. 
Hess,  Mr.,  135. 
Hiatogas,  99. 
Highland  Denmark,  126. 
Highland  Man,  86. 
Hill,  J.  J.,  212. 
Hill,  Mr.,  203. 
Hillhurst  Stock  Farm,  50. 
Hills,  N.  W.,  294. 
Hobbes,  Fisher,  443. 
Holbert,  A.  B.,  23-66. 
Holbert,  J.  A.,  306. 
Holland  Land  Co.,  279. 
Holloway,  Col.  Robert,  28. 
Holstein-Friesian     Association     of 

America,   288. 
Holstein-Friesian  Cattle,  199,  278- 

291. 

Holstein  Horses,  68. 
Hoomes,  Colonel,  114. 
Hopley,  Peter  &  Co.,  40. 
Horses,  Breeds  of,  6-198. 
Horses,  Types  of 

Artillery  Horse,    192,    193,    194, 
195. 

Cavalry  Horse,  190,  193,  195. 

Draft,  7. 

Heavy  Harness,  44. 

Hunter,  149. 

Light  Harness,  79. 

Pony,  157. 

Saddle,  108. 
Howard,  A.  P.,  377. 
Hoxie,  Solomon,  280. 
Hubback,  202. 
Humphrey,  Col.  David,  363. 
Humphrey,  Wm.,  340. 
Hunter  Horse,   120,   131,   149-156. 


INDEX 


475 


Hunter    Improvement    Society    of 

Great  Britain,  156. 
Huntington,  Randolph,  146. 
Hutchinson,  203. 

Iceland  Pony,  178. 

Illustrious,  207. 

Imported  Bellfounder,  47,  50,  81. 

Imported  Hedgeford,  120,  123. 

Imported  Messenger,  111. 

Imported  Saltram,  124. 

Imported  Traveller,  90. 

Imported  Whip,  124. 

Improved  Blacktop  Merino  Sheep, 

374. 

Indian  Chief,  132. 
Indian  Pony,  165. 
Inglis,  quoted,  257. 
International    Live-stock    Opposi- 
tion, 240.  . 

Angus,  240. 

Red  Polled,  317. 

International  Stock  Food  Farm,  82. 
Irish  Grazier,  422. 
Irish  Grazier  Swine,  422. 
Iroquois,  112. 
Isaac,  George,  210. 
Isabella,  204. 
Ishmael,  134. 

Jackson,  Andrew,  115. 
Jackson,  Mr.,  203. 
Jackson,  William,  123. 
Jack  Stock,  6,  187,  188. 
James  I,  110. 
Japanese  Pony,  179. 
Jarvis,  Wm.,  280,  364. 
Java  Pony,  179. 
Jay  Gould,  89. 
Jefferson,  Thomas,  115. 
Jeffries,  Capt.  James,  430. 
Jenny  Cockracy,  124. 
Jereyban  Family,  141. 
Jersey  Cattle,  199,  255-269. 
Jersey  Red  Swine,  427. 
Jeytani  Family,  141. 
Jilfan  Family,  141. 
Joe  Johnson,  209. 
Joe  Patchen,  103. 


Joe  Young,  90. 
John  Dillard,  124. 
Johnson,  A.,  30. 
Johnson,  Arthur,  211. 
Johnston,  Robert,  374. 
Johnstone,  quoted,  9,  56. 
Jolly,  Mr.,  203. 
Josephine,  207. 
Justin  Morgan,  84,  111. 

Family  of,  90. 
Jutland  Cattle,  279. 

Kaiser  Wilhelm,  66. 

Keheilan  Ajus,  139. 

Keillor,  235. 

Kentucky  Importing  Co.,  207. 

Kerry  Cattle,  323. 

Ketton,  202. 

Killerby,  204. 

King,  Col.  W.  S.,  211. 

King  Herod,  91,  111. 

Kirklevington,  203. 

Koch,  W.,  301. 

Kohlschmidt,  Dr.,  409. 

Kolmogorian  Cattle,  279. 

Korean  Pony,  179. 

Kremlin,  89. 

Lady  Betty  Family,  205. 

Lady    Fragrant,    205. 

Lady  Gulnare,  208. 

Lady  Jackson,  124. 

Lady  Suffolk,  82,  85. 

Lamp  Girl,  91. 

Lance,  H.  W.,  305. 

Landrum,  W.  M.,  392. 

Lapidis,  84. 

Lard  Breeds  of  Swine,  415-447. 

Berkshire,  415-421. 

Cheshire,  439-141. 

Chester  White,  430-435. 

Duroc-Jersey,  426-430. 

Essex,  442-445. 

Hampshire,  436-439. 

Poland-China,  421-426. 

Small  Yorkshire,  447. 

Suffolk,  445-447. 

Victoria,  441-442. 
Lard  Type  of  Swine,  415. 


476 


INDEX 


Large  Black  Swine,  462. 

Large  Improved  Yorkshire  Swine, 

450-455. 

Large  White  Swine,  450-455. 
Large   Yorkshire    Swine,    450-^55. 
Lawrence,  A.  A.,  356. 
Le  Couteur,  Col.,  255. 
Lee,  Mr.,  206. 
Lefebure,  E.,  22. 
Legard,  George,  quoted,  73. 
Leicester,    Bakewell,    353. 
Leicester,  Border,  352. 
Leicester,  Dishiey,  353. 
Leicester,  English,  352. 
Leicester  Sheep,  327,  351-355. 
Leopard,  145. 
Lexington,  114.. 
Libyan  Horse,  144. 
Light   Harness   Breeds   of   Horses, 

6,  46-108. 
American  Standardbred,    6,    46, 

47,  59,  79-106. 
Orloff,  6,  106-108. 
Light  Harness  Type  of  Horse,  79. 
Lincoln  Skeep,  327,  355-358. 
Lincolnshire    Curly-coated    Swine, 

465. 

Linden  Tree,  145. 
Lindsley,  D.  C.,  quoted,  91. 
Livingston,  Robert,  304. 
Logan,  John  A.,  quoted,  48. 
London  Duchesses,  209. 
Longhorn  Cattle,  325. 
Long  Island  Black  Hawk,  85. 
Long,  Prof.,  quoted,  456. 
Lonk  Sheep,  381. 
Lord  Clinton,  91. 
Lord  Derby  II,  48. 
Lord  Russell,  189. 
Lorillard,  Pierre,  113. 
Lou  Dillon,  92,  103. 
Louisiana  Purchase  Exposition,  263. 
Louis  Napoleon,  10. 
Low,  L.  W.,  quoted,  261,  362. 
Lowther  Barb,  90. 
Ludlow,  F.  W.,  397. 

Macdonald,  quoted,  384. 
MacDowell,  James,  373. 


MacGregor,  27,  28. 
MacNeilage,  Archibald,  27. 
McCormick  Bros.,  301. 
McKerrow,  Geo.,  338,  386. 
McLaughlin  Bros.,  23. 
McLawry  Bros.,  301. 
McMonagle,  quoted,  84. 
McQueen,  28. 
Magna,  130. 
Magna  Charta,  91. 
Maid  of  Melrose,  208. 
Major,  W.,  211. 
Majorcan  Jack,  186. 
Maltese  Goat,  404. 
Maltese  Jack,  186. 
Mambrino  Chief,  47,  81. 

Family  of,  89. 
Mambrino  Patchen,  89. 
Mambrino  Paymaster,  81. 
Mambrino  Pilot,  59,  90. 
Maneghi  Family,  140. 
Manipuri  Pony,  179. 
Mantilinis,  205. 
Market  Classes  of  Mules 

Cotton,  182. 

General  Purpose  Mule,  183. 

Lumber,  183. 

Mine  Mule,  184. 

Sugar,  182. 
Mary  Marshall,  272. 
Massachusetts     Society    for    Pro- 
moting Agriculture,  270. 
Masterman,  Mr.,  203. 
Matchem,  111. 
Mate,  130. 
Maud  S.,  89. 

Maynard,  Mr.,  203,  330,  359. 
Mazurka,  208. 
Meade,  R.  W.,  373. 
Meise,  Samuel,  335. 
Melekhan  Family,  141. 
Merino  Sheep,  327,  362-380. 
Messenger,  47,  81-82. 
Messenger,  Thomas,  341. 
Metcalf,  Henry,  341. 
Middle  White  Swine,  463. 
Middle  Yorkshire  Swine,  463. 
Milbank,  Mr.,  203. 
Milch  Breeds  of  Goats,  401. 


INDEX 


477 


Milch  Breeds  of  Goats  —  Continued. 

Black-necked  Valaisan,  406. 

Maltese,  404. 

New  Mexican,  405. 

Nubian,  404. 

Spanish  Maltese,  405. 

Toggenburg,  405. 

White  Appenzeller,  406. 

White  Saanen,  406. 
Military  Horses,  6,  190-198. 
Military  Mules,  195. 
Miller,  E.  D.,  162. 
Miller,  Geo.,  359. 
Miller,  Mr.,  206. 
Miller,  Robert,  338. 
Miller,  W.  S.,  219. 
Miller,  Win.,  and  Geo.,  210. 
Mimulus,    210. 
Minna,    208. 
Miss  Craigie,  123. 
Miss  Russell,  92. 
Moberly,  T.  S.,  212. 
Mohair,  398. 
Moltke,  13,  66. 
Mongolian  Pony,  179. 
Monson,  Mr.,  206. 
Montrose,  126. 
Moor,  The,  130. 
Morgan  Eagle,  91. 
Morgan  Family,  83,  84,  90,  92. 
Morocco,  411. 
Morton's  Traveller,  90. 
Moss  Roses,  205. 
Mule,  6,  181-189. 
Muscatoon,  209. 
Mustang,  163. 

Mutton    Breeds    of    Sheep,    329- 
362. 

Cheviot,  348-351. 

Cotswold,  358-361. 

Dorset-horn,  345-348. 

Hampshire,  340-343. 

Leicester,  351-355. 

Lincoln,  355-358. 

Oxford,  337-339. 

Shropshire,  334-336. 

Southdown,  329-333. 
Mutton  Type  of  Sheep,  329. 
Mylton,  Mr.,  123. 


Nancy  Hanks,  83. 
Nancy  Lee,  83. 
Nannie  Garrett,  132. 
Narragansett  Pacer,  84,  98. 
National    Chester    White    Record 

Association,  435. 
National  Delaines,  373. 
National    Draft  Horse  Society    of 

Belgium,    25. 
National     Duroc     Jersey     Record 

Association,  430. 

National    French    Draft    Associa- 
tion of  America,  18. 
National  League  of  Amateur  Driv- 
ing Clubs,  94. 
National  Lincoln  Sheep  Breeders' 

Association   of   America,    358. 
National  Poland-China  Record  Co., 

426. 
National  Polled  Hereford  Breeders' 

Association,  234. 
National    Register    French    Draft 

Horses,  15,  18,  19. 
National      Register     of      Norman 

Horses,  15,  18. 
National    Saddle   Horse   Breeders' 

Association,  134. 
National  Steeple  Chase  and  Hunt, 

Association,  150. 
Native  Jacks,  186. 
Neapolitan  Swine,  462. 
Necklace,  205. 
New  England  Cattle,  296. 
New  Forest  Pony,  167,  174. 
New  Mexican  Goat,  405. 
New  York  Mills,  211. 
Niger,  59,  62. 
Nivernais,  9,  20. 
Nora,  215. 

Norfolk  Phenomenon,  59. 
Norfolk  Red  Polled  Cattle,  316. 
Norfolk  Trotter,  47-49. 
Norman  Horse,  14. 
Northwestern  Poland-China  Swine 

Association,  426. 
Norwegian  Horse,  46. 
Norwegian  Pony,  179. 
Nubian  Goat,  404. 
Nutwood,  88. 


478 


INDEX 


Ohio  Importing  Co.,  206. 

Ohio     Improved     Chester     White 

Swine,  431. 

O.  I.  C.  Swine  Breeders'  Associa- 
tion, 435. 

Oldenberg  Cattle,  279. 
Oldenburgh  Coach  Horse  Associa- 
tion, 70. 

Oldenburg  Horses,  68. 
Old  Morrill,  91. 
Oltmann  Bros.,  66. 
One  Eye,  47,  81. 
Oriental  Horse,  134-149. 

Arab,  134. 

Barb,  144. 

Turk,  148. 

Original  Chester  White  Swine,  430. 
Orloff  Horse,  106. 
Orr,  Mr.,  206. 
Oxford  Sheep,  327,  337-340. 

Pacer,  97-105. 

Pack  Mules,  197. 

Pan-American  Exposition  of  Guern- 
seys, 271. 

Part-bred  Horses,  120-150. 

Patchen  Wilkes,  103. 

Pat  Cleburne,  124. 

Paterson,  John,  26,  377. 

Patterson,  Robert,  320. 

Paul  Pry,  82. 

Pearl,  90. 

Pearlette,  208. 

Peavine,  132. 

Peer,  F.  S.,  403. 

Pelham,  86. 

Pennyman,  Sir  James,  203. 

Percheron  Horse,  6,  7-16. 

Percheron-Norman  Horse  Associa- 
tion, 14. 

Percheron  Registry  Co.,  15,  16. 

Percheron  Society  of  America,  14- 
15. 

Persiacot  Sheep,  384. 

Persian  Pony,  158. 

Persiarino  Sheep,  374. 

Peter's  Halcorn,  124. 

Peters,  Richard,  387,  391. 

Phenomena,  49. 


Philip  Triffit,  48. 
Phil  Sheridan,  84. 
Picardy  Horse,  17. 
Pickering,  Mr.,  203. 
Pilots,  The,  84. 

Family  of,  92. 
Pilot  Jr.,  92,  99. 
Pisgah,  131. 

Plumb,  quoted,  13,  364. 
Plymley,  quoted,  334. 
Poitou  Jack,  187. 
Poland-China  Swine,  421-426. 
Poland  Swine,  422. 
Polkan  I,  106. 
Polled  Durham  Cattle,    199,  219- 

222. 

Polled  Hereford  Cattle,  232. 
Polo  Mount,  160. 
Ponies,  157-180. 

Arabian,  179. 

Bronco,  164. 

Celtic,  178. 

Chincoteague,  166. 

Connemara,  167. 

Creole,  166. 

Dartmoor,  173. 

Exmoor,  173. 

Galloway,  177. 

Hackney,  176. 

Indian,  165. 

Mustang,  163. 

New  Forest,  174. 

Norwegian,  179. 

Polo  Mount,  160. 

Russian,  179. 

Sable  Island,  166. 

Scandinavian,  179. 

Shetland,  167. 

Welsh,  171. 
Pony  Types,  157. 
Powell  Bros.,  40. 
Prentice,  James,  206. 
Priam,    205. 
Prime  Scots,  217. 
Prince  of  Albion,  27. 
Prince  of  Wales,  27. 
Princess,  83. 

Quartly,  Francis,  319. 


INDEX 


479 


Quayle,  Thomas,  quoted,  257. 
Quebec  Jerseys,  308. 
Queen  of  the  Roses,  28. 

Rabdan  Family,  141. 

Rambouillet  Sheep,  377. 

Randolph,  John,  115. 

Ranger,  135. 

Ras-el-Fadawi,  139. 

Rawlence,  James,  340. 

Razorback  Swine,  465. 

Reality,  48. 

Redfield,  F.  B.,  237. 

Red  Polled  Cattle,  199,  313-319. 

Red  Polled  Cattle  Club  of  America, 

318. 

Red  Polled  Norfolk,  314. 
Red  Roses,  205. 
Reed,  Alex.,  373. 
Registered     Union     of     Schleswig 

Horse  Breeding  Societies,  69. 
Renick,  Abram,  209. 
Renick,  Felix,  207. 
Renick,  George  W.,  208. 
Rex  Arbuckle,  131. 
Reybold,  Clayton,  338. 
Richards,  A.  Keene,  135. 
Richards,  H.  B.,  305. 
Ridgway,  109. 
Rishan  Family,  141. 
Roadster,  94. 

Type  of,  79. 
Robert  McGregor,  92. 
Robertson,  Mr.,  203. 
Rommel,  G.  M.,  quoted,  218. 
Romney  Marsh  Sheep,  385. 
Rosabella,  208. 
Rose,  Dr.,  330. 
Rose  of  Sharon,  207,  209. 
Rotch,  Mr.,  206,  330. 
Roundtree,  388. 
Royal  Agricultural  Society  Show, 

338. 

Royal  George,  83. 
Royal     Jersey     Agricultural     and 

Horticultural      Society,      258, 

268. 

Royal  Mares,  111. 
Rufus,  48. 


Russell,  R.  H.,  374. 
Russell,  Thomas,  211. 
Russian  Pony,  179. 
Russian  Swine,  421. 
Ryeland  Sheep,  385. 

Saadan  Family,  141.      . 
Sable  Island  Pony,  166. 
Sacred  Cattle  of  India,  325. 
Saddle  Breeds  of  Horses,  6,   108- 
156. 

American  Saddle,  6,  122-134. 

Arab,  6,  110,  144-148. 

Barb,  6,  110,  144-148. 

Thoroughbred,  6,  46,  48,  51,  59, 
80,  83,  108-122. 

Turk,  6,  110,  148-149. 
Saddle  Type,  108. 
St.  Glairs,  The,  84,  99. 
St.  Julien,  89. 
St.  Lambert,  263. 
St.  Lawrences,  The,  84,  99. 
St.  Quentin,  Sir  William,  203. 
Samhan  Family,  141. 
Sampson,  47,  81. 
Sanders,  Colonel  Lewis,  206. 
Sanders,  J.  H.,  15,  439,  440. 
Scandinavian  Pony,  179. 
Schleswig  Horse,  69. 
Scioto  Valley  Importing  Co.,  208. 
Scotch  Cattle,  296. 
Scotch  Clydesdale  Horse  Society, 

34. 

Scotch  Ponies,  177. 
Scotch    Shorthorn  Cattle,  212. 
Scott  and  Harris,  301. 
Scott's  Shales,  48,  81. 
Scurs,  239. 
Seglawi  Family,  139. 
Servin,  Mrs.  S.  A.  F.,  307. 
Sewell,  B.  D.,  344. 
Shafer,  W.  A.,  338,  403. 
Shafor  and  Clawson,  219. 
Shales,  47,  81. 
Sharter,  Mr.,  203. 
Sheep,  Breeds  of,  325-390. 
Sheep,  Types  of,  329. 
Sheik  Salaman,  134. 
Shepherd,  F.  Knapp,  46. 


480 


INDEX 


Shepherd's  Pride,  341. 

Sherman  Morgan,  85,  91. 

Shetland  Pony,  6,  167-171. 

Shetland  Sheep,  381. 

Shire  Horse,  6,  34-39. 

Shorthorn  Cattle,  199,  201-219. 

Shropshire  Sheep,  327,  334-337. 

Shueyman  Family,  141. 

Siamese  Swine,  416,  462. 

Signal,  263. 

Silsby,  Mr.,  206. 

Silver,  L.  B.,  431. 

Silvertail,  81. 

Simmenthal  Cattle,  325. 

Simpson,  John,  210. 

Sinclair,  Sir  John,  350. 

Single    Standard    Polled    Durham 

Cattle,  220. 
Sir  Archy,  114. 
Sir  Teddy,  159. 
Small  White  Swine,  447-449. 
Small  Yorkshire  Swine,  447-449. 
Smetanka,  106. 
Smith,  Mr.,  203. 
Smith,  Samuel,  206. 
Smuggler,  99. 
Snowden,  Mr.,  203. 
Societe  Hippique  Percheronne,    14. 
Sotham,  W.  H.,  359. 
Soundness  of  Horses,  9. 

of  Percherons,  9. 

of  Hackneys,  54. 
Southdown  Sheep,  329-334. 
Southwestern  Poland-China  Record 

Association,  426. 
Sovereign,  30. 
Spanish  Jack,  186. 
Spanish  Maltese  Goat,  405. 
Splendens,  261. 
Standard      Poland-Swine     Record 

Association,  426. 
Star  Pointer,  103. 
Stebler,  quoted,  410. 
Steeple    Chasers,    155. 
Stephenson,  Mr.,  203. 
Stevenson  Mare,  43,  123. 
Stone,  F.  W.,  210. 
Stone,  R.  J.,  338. 
Strathmore,  83,  89. 


Strawberry  Tribe,  205. 
Streeter,  M.  B.,  344. 
Stubbs,  D.  P.,  Sons,  23. 
Stud-books 

Algerian  Stud-book,  148. 

American  Association  of  Im- 
porters and  Breeders  of  Bel- 
gian Draft  Horses,  25. 

American  Association  of  Jacks 
and  Jennets,  189. 

American  Clydesdale  Horse 
Breeders'  Association,  34. 

American  Hackney  Horse  So- 
ciety, 57. 

American  Morgan  Horse  Reg- 
ister, 92. 

American  Saddle  Horse  Breeders' 
Association,  124-134. 

American  Shetland  Pony  Club, 
169,  171. 

American  Stud-book  for  Thor- 
oughbreds, 121. 

American  Suffolk  Horse  Associa- 
tion, 43. 

American  Trotting  Register,  86, 
94,  96. 

American  Welsh  Pony  and  Cob 
Society,  173. 

Arab  Horse  Club,  144. 

Boulonnais,  9,  18. 

Cleveland-Bay  Horse  Society  of 
America,  78. 

Clydesdale  Horse  Society  of 
Scotland,  27,  34. 

English  Cart  Horse  Society,  35, 
39. 

English  Hackney  Horse  Society, 
44. 

French  Coach  Horse  Society  of 
America,  165. 

French  Jockey  Club,  63. 

French  Stud-book,  60. 

General  Stud-book  of  France,  9. 

General  Stud-book  of  Great 
Britain,  121,  148. 

German,  Hanoverian,  Oldenburg 
Coach  Horse  Association  of 
America,  70. 

Hunter  Stud-book,  156. 


INDEX 


481 


Stud-books  —  Continued. 

National      Draft   Horse   Society 

of  Belgium,  22,  25. 
National     Register     of     French 

Draft  Horses,  15. 
National    Register    of    Norman 

Horses,  15,  18,  19,  20,  21. 
National  Steeple  Chase  and  Hunt 

Association,  150. 
National    Trotting    Association, 

96. 
Percheron  Stud-book  of  America, 

9,  14,  15. 

Record  of  the  Imperial  Russian 

Horse  Breeding    Society,    107. 

Register    of    Demi-sang    Horses 

Born  and  Imported  in  France, 

160. 

Stud-book  Trotters,  60. 
Suffolk  Stud-book,  39. 
Welsh  Pony  and  Cob  Society,  173. 
Yorkshire  Coach,  77. 
Stump-the-Dealer,    124. 
Suffolk  Cattle,  329,  343-345. 
Suffolk  Down  Sheep,  327,  343-345. 
Suffolk  Horse,  6,  39-43. 
Suffolk  Red  Polled  Cattle,  316. 
Suffolk  Stud-book  Society,  43. 
Suffolk  Swine,  445-447. 
Sumatra  Pony,  179. 
Susette,  124. 

Sussex  Cattle,  199,  250-254. 
Sutton,  Samuel,  335. 
Suworow,  205. 
Sweepstakes,  209. 
Sweet  Marie,  93. 
Swine,  Breeds  of,  414-465. 
Swine  Records 

American  Berkshire  Association, 

420. 
American  Chester  White  Record 

Association,  435. 
American     Duroc-Jersey     Swine 

Breeders'  Association,  430. 
American  Essex  Association,  445. 
American  Hampshire  Swine  Rec- 
ord Association,  438. 
American  Poland-China  Record 
Association,  425. 

2i 


American  Small  Yorkshire  Club, 
449. 

American     Suffolk     Association, 
447. 

American  Tamworth  Swine  Rec- 
ord Association,  459. 

American  Yorkshire  Club,  455. 

British      Berkshire      Herd-book, 
421. 

Cheshire    Swine    Breeders'    As- 
sociation, 440. 

Large  Black  Pig  Society  of  Great 
Britain,  463. 

National  Chester  White  Record 
Association,  435. 

National    Duroc-Jersey    Record 
Association,  430. 

National  Pig  Breeders'  Associa- 
tion, 459. 

National    Poland-China    Record 
Co.,  426. 

Northwestern  Poland-China 

Swine  Association,  426. 

O.  I.  C.  Swine  Breeders'  Associa- 
tion, 435. 

Southwestern  Poland-China  Rec- 
ord Association,  426. 

Standard    Poland-China    Record 
Association,  426. 

Victoria  Swine  Breeders'  Associa- 
tion, 442. 
Swine.Types  of,  414,  415. 

Bacon,  450. 

Lard,  415. 
Sylvia,  210. 

Taber,  G.  F.,  315. 

Tacitus,  quoted,  278. 
Tamri  Family,  141. 
Tamworth  Swine,  455-459. 
Tattersall,  130. 
Teeswater  Cattle,  201. 
Teeswater  Sheep,  351. 
Telfar,  W.  B.,  211. 
Texas  Longhorn  Cattle,  325. 
Thayer,  A.,  346. 
Thin  Rind  Swine,  436-438. 
Thompson,  G.  F.,  402. 
Thompson,  Joseph  S.f  210. 


482 


INDEX 


Thompson,  Mr.,  203. 
Thome,  Samuel,  209. 
Thoroughbred  Horse,  6,  46,  48,  51, 

59,  80,  83,   108-122. 
Ties,  229. 

Tilly  Alcartra,  284. 
Todd,  Isaac,  431. 
Todd,  S.  H.,  431. 
Todd's    Improved   Chester  White 

Swine,  431. 
Toessan  Family,  141. 
Togenburg  Goat,  405. 
Tom  Hal,  99,  124. 
Toofy,  Mr.,  352. 
Topgallant,  82. 
Tormentor,  263. 
Torrance,  A.  H.,  359. 
Trakehner  Horse,  67. 

Influence  of  Barb  on,  147- 
Transhumantes,  363. 
Treyfi  Family,  141. 
Trotter,  79-108. 

Orloff,  97-108. 

Standardbred,  79-97. 
Trotting  Records,  85. 
Trotting  Standard,  87. 
True  Briton,  90. 
Trustee,  49. 
Tunis  Sheep,  386. 
Turcoman,  149. 
Turk,  6,  110,  148-149. 
Twin  Brother,  204. 
Twynham,  John  T.,  337. 

Useful  Cub,  81. 
Uwharie,  99. 

Vaca,  Cabeza  de,  113. 
Van  Hoorebeke,  A.  G.,  22. 
Van  Home,  Wm.,  305. 
Van  Meter's  Waxy,  124. 
Van  Raub,  B.  H.,  405. 
Vermont  Morgan,  91. 
Victor,  263. 
Victor  Bealle,  374. 
Victoria  Swine,  441-442. 
Victoria  Swine  Breeders'  Associa- 
tion, 442. 
Victoria  20th,  208. 


Violet  4th,  210. 
Volunteer,  quoted,  88-89. 
Vulcan,    37. 

Wadman  Family,  141. 

Waistell,  Mr.,  203. 

Walcott,  Mr.,  211. 

Wallace,  John  Henry,  86. 

Wallace,  Mr.,  203. 

Wapsie,    90. 

Ward,  Archibald,  30. 

Warfield,  Benjamin,  209. 

Warfield,  William,  209. 

Warlahy,  204. 

Washington,  George,  115. 

Watson,  Hugh,  235. 

Watson,  Mr.,  203. 

Watts,  Arthur,  208. 

Webb,  Jonas,  330,  340. 

Webb.-Seward,  50. 

Welsh  Mountain  Sheep,  381. 

Welsh  Pony,  6,  167,  171-173. 

Wensleydale  Sheep,  388. 

Western,  Lord,  443. 

West  Highland  Cattle,  324. 

West   Mooreland   Fel   Pony,    167, 

175. 

Wetherell,  Mr.,  203. 
White  Appenzeller  Goat,  406. 
White  Heifer,  The,  202. 
White  Rose,  220. 
White  Saanen  Goat,  406. 
Whitfield,  George,  211,  237. 
Whiting,  C.  L.,  338. 
Whiting,  Thos.  E.,  280. 
Whyte,  quoted,  159. 
Wild  Black  Horse  of  Flanders,  21, 

147. 

Wilkesberry,  103. 
Williams,  Samuel,  206. 
Wilson,  D.  B.,  307. 
Wilson,  quoted,  334. 
Wingfield,  Roland,  210. 
Woodburn  Herd,  208. 
Woodbury,  Morgan,  85,  91. 
Woodford  Mambrino,  89. 
Wool,  368. 

Wool  Breeders  of  Sheep,  362-380. 
American  Merino,  369-371. 


INDEX 


483 


Wool  Breeders  of  Sheep — Continued. 

Delaine  Merino,  372-376. 

Rambouillet,  377-380. 
Woolless  Sheep,  381. 
Wool  Type  of  Sheep,  329,  362-380. 
Work,  H.  F.,  436. 
World  Columbian  Exposition. 

Ayreshires  at,  295. 

Guernseys  at,  271. 

Jerseys  at,  263. 
World's  Fair,  Paris,  236. 
Wright,  Mr.,  203. 

Yankee,  85. 

Yorkshire  Coach  Horse,  6,  71-78. 


Yorkshire  Swine,  447. 
Youatt,  quoted,  174,  250,  461. 
Young  Adonis,  66. 
Young  Altma,  66. 
Young  Arthur,  329,  331. 
Young  Bashaw,  90. 
Young  Mary,  207. 
Young  Morrill,  91. 
Young  Phyllis,  207,  220. 
Young  Robert,  349. 

Zacinthe,  62. 
Zebu  Cattle,  325. 
Zelicia,  103. 
Zilcaadi,  145. 


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